Location
by HydeLuver
Summary: Jackie returns to Point Place under unusual circumstances. Possible last story on FF
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Welcome! The idea for this latest story spawn from a song I heard in passing a few months ago and I was able to finally put it into writing, though admittedly a bit deviated from the original concept (as it usually tends to go). In writing this, it dawned on me that this may be the last story I write (maybe forever, maybe for a very long time) but it's at least one I am, as of today, quite happy with. I welcome all feedback and the next chapter should be up next Friday. Til' then!

Jackie Burtkhart lies comfortably in the brown leather couch staring at the television set before her. The giddy saleswoman on the screen is advertising a new face crème she holds between her delicate, polished fingers. Jackie briefly notices the woman's perfect quaffed hair and her bright red lipstick before closing her eyes. The sheer exhaustion from the lack of sleep of the last few days has finally started catching up with her. She quickly opens her eyes again to glance towards the wooden coffee table next to her. She picks up the phone receiver, brings it to her ears to ensure there is a dial tone, and places it back on the base before allowing herself to sleep.

" _Why does it even matter anymore? How long has it been and we're still having the same conversations."_

" _So we just won't talk about it anymore."_

" _Right, because there's no point."_

" _Don't say that."_

" _You know it's true."_

A short while later, a pounding at the door wakes her. She groans and reluctantly stands up from the couch. Walking over to the door, she catches a glimpse of the clock by the kitchen and realizes she was asleep longer than she thought, but not as long as she had hoped. She looks through the peephole and sees her former best friend on the other side. Hesitantly, she unbolts the locks and opens the door.

"What is it?" she asks, her tone uninviting.

"Fez told me you'd be here. Can I come in?"

"Where else would I be?" Jackie asks and opens the door wider, steps aside and lets her visitor inside. She rolls her eyes as Donna walks by and wishes she would have pretended not to be home and gotten more sleep.

"I thought you'd be with the others."

"Well, I'm not."

"Yeah I can see that. Listen, can we talk and sort this out?"

"Donna, I'm exhausted and truthfully, I don't think that's a good idea."

"I think we owe it to ourselves and the others to at least try and work things out don't you think?"

" _I made a mistake."_

" _You've made a lot of mistakes."_

" _We have made a lot of mistakes, but it's not unfixable."_

" _This time it is."_

" _How about I talk and you listen?"_

"I am really too tired to talk right now."

"Alright, I'll come by later and then maybe we can talk" Donna says, more a question than a comment.

Jackie nods her heard and watches as Donna walks back towards the door. "We're really glad you're here. It's been hard on everyone but having you around makes it a little easier" Donna exclaims without turning back to look at Jackie.

"Sure" is all Jackie can muster to say before Donna walks out of the apartment. Jackie rolls her eyes once more at the thought of her making things easier for everyone. That's not her intent, not the reason she returned after so many years away. Sure it may be a nice gesture for her to take care of things now but it's not as though she feels obligated to do so, not after everything that's happened. Had it not been for the Forman's, she would have never stepped foot back in this town, but she still held them in high regards and figured she could do this for them. A small bit for herself and the person she used to be, but mostly for them.

" _We didn't think you'd be coming back. After the way we left things last, we were sure of it. I waited. I don't want you to think it happened immediately. I kept waiting for weeks, hoping you would come back and we could move on, like we always did, but you didn't."_

" _It doesn't matter anymore."_

" _Just listen, please…It wasn't planned and we both hesitated. We were remorseful the first time it happened. But he was gone and you left and we just found comfort in each other."_

" _How nice for you."_

" _Jackie…"_

Before she could even settle into the couch once more, the telephone rings. Another grown escapes her and were it not for the severity of the situation, she would have unplugged the chord and temporarily disconnected from the world.

"Yes?" she answers abruptly. She listens attentively and silently to the voice on the other line. "I'll be right there" she finally responds.

Having no choice but to put sleep on the back burner yet again, she heads towards the bathroom to freshen up first. She runs the hot water and lets the steam fill the room. The warmth envelops her and she appreciates it after having to endure the brutal winter. She sits at the edge of the tub and reaches over to run the cold water and prepare a bath. For just a few minutes, she wants to soak in the warm water, submerge her head under in and just feel refreshed again. The last few days having taken a toll on her can be forgotten for just a few precious minutes of solitude before she has to get back into the hustle.

She is desperately missing her home in New York and her daily routine. She misses waking up early in the morning to make a cup of coffee before getting ready for work. She also misses grabbing lunch with her favorite co-worker and gossiping over the latest celebrity news or newest conquests. Most of all, she is desperately craving being wrapped in her boyfriend's arms at night, hearing comforting and loving words that make her feel content and alive. For most of her youth, she dreamed of someone just like him, a few times believe she had found someone like him, but they never even came close and she couldn't wait to get back to him.

" _Just stop. You make it sound as though I had another option but to leave. Like I chose to walk away on my own accord. You think it was easy? What was I supposed to do, sit around and pretend nothing was happening? Everyone knew."_

" _Nothing was going on."_

" _Just stop lying. We can't all be so stupid as to think nothing was going on. We all knew and I sat around for a long time trying to convince myself that I was exaggerating or being paranoid. I talked myself into staying so many times because I couldn't imagine either of you doing that to me."_

" _Jackie-"_

" _What? It wasn't planned right, so it makes it okay. Stop trying to minimize it and just take responsibility for it. This didn't happen because he was away or because I left. We left because it was happening and neither of us was willing to sink with that ship."_

Thirty minutes later, Jackie is on her way to meet the Forman's. The surprising traffic makes her trip twice as long in which Jackie can't help but think why she really came back. Sure the Forman's are a big part of the reason as well as the legal obligations she has but she can't help wonder if a small part of her wants to be here, if only for the nostalgia of it all. They had been together for a very long time after all. Perhaps she is trying to do right by her younger self by being here. Maybe she just wants to get a sense of closure, whatever the outcome may be and completely close that chapter in her life, however painful it may be to do so.

When she finally arrives, she immediately sees Eric and his parents sitting quietly, drinking coffee and reading magazines. She spots Fez by the vending machine, shaking it as quietly as he can, which isn't very quiet at all, trying to get a candy bar. Not far from him is Donna, who makes eye contact with her for just a moment before diving back into her own reading material.

Jackie bee lines towards the Forman's and greets Eric whom she has not seen in quite some time.

"I'm surprised to see you here" she says after they break their hug.

"I can say the same about you" he replies with a sheepish smirk. Jackie nods and smiles.

If anyone in this room can understand the bittersweet feeling of being here, it's him. It's torturous almost, having to care about someone who is responsible for so much hurt and betrayal.

"How's Brittany?" she asks and from her peripheral, she can see Donna look up at the mention of the name and squirm in her seat.

"She's great. I was just telling mom that we are putting a bid on a house. Nothing big or fancy but enough room to start a family someday."

"That's great. I'm really happy for you" Jackie replies.

"Thanks. How's life out in New York?" Eric asks as they both take a seat next to his parents.

"Cold as you can imagine, but wonderful" she says with a genuine smile.

"Mom mentioned that you were doing well there" Eric exclaims.

"I am. Work is good, I have a fairly decent apartment that's not breaking my bank account and…I'm happy."

"You deserve it" he states and reaches for her hand which he squeezes.

"So you do" she simply responds and gives his hand a friendly squeeze back. He simply nods and the two fall into a comfortable silence and, for the first time since knowing each other, they feel a special bond formed from their ability to thrive after heartbreak.

"Do you want a coffee or muffin dear?" Mrs. Forman asks her. Jackie shakes her head from side to side and smiles at the older woman. She notices the lighter strands of hair and the deeper lines around her eyes and mouth. Jackie frowns and thinks about all the time that has passed since she was last in town and how much she has missed the couple to her right. Even Red appeared softer, frailer and less menacing than he had the last time she saw him.

The small group sits in silence, observing as others walk hurriedly past them, too busy to notice them. The mixed smell of coffee, bland food and vitamins is at first overwhelming and then almost comforting. Once every couple of minutes, Jackie would glance over at Donna and caught her looking at Eric a few times. How different things had turned out for them all. When once they thought they'd be bonded forever, they rarely see or speak to one another. Frankly, it takes difficult circumstances such as this to get them in the same room together.

"Any news?" Jackie hears Red say and she comes out of her daze to notice the doctor.

"Ms. Burkhart can I speak to you for a moment?" the doctor says looking to her.

"It's okay doctor, we can talk in front of them. They're his family as well."

"Very well. We're still monitoring and keeping a close eye on him and as of now, I think we're in the clear. We would have to run a few more tests with your permission."

"What kind of tests?" Donna chimes in from her spot in the room.

"Blood work mostly, and we would like to do another MRI and possibly take a few X-rays."

"But you said everything was stable" Donna says now walking over to the doctor.

"Well, yes but we want to be positive that there is no additional damage that may arise later on. I assure you this is pretty standard work."

"Do whatever you have to do" Jackie responds. The doctor nods and walks away from the group.

"You didn't even ask questions. You can't just give them permission to do whatever they want without knowing what's going on first" Donna says furiously to Jackie.

"He's a doctor, I feel confident enough that he knows what he's doing. Besides, you asked enough questions for all of us" Jackie replies.

"You can't just make these decisions by yourself. We're all here, you have to consult with us too Jackie."

"Actually, I don't. In case you forgot, I'm still his wife" Jackie answers with narrowed eyes. Donna's breath hitches and her nostrils flare. The inevitable showdown between the two women was near despite their best efforts to avoid it.

"You haven't been around in years. You shouldn't be allowed to make any decisions. Why don't you just sign the damn papers and give someone else the rights to make decisions?" Donna asks.

"Someone or you?" Jackie asks and cocks her head to one side.

"Alright you two, we're all very worried and stressed out, why don't we just take a seat and wait for some more news?" Kitty says wanting desperately to avoid any escalation to the situation.

"Oh we all know I should be making the decisions. I'm the one who has been here all along. I'm the one who was there when this all happened, who made sure he got here all right. He's my boyfriend" Donna continues.

"Yeah? Well he's my husband and that alone gives me the right to make decisions. So if you don't want me to have you escorted out of this hospital, I suggest you go back to your seat and your little magazine and not speak to me again."

Donna glares at her former friend and is about to object when Red steps in.

"Enough. Sit down, both of you. You will not embarrass us and cause a scene in this hospital. We're here for Steven and if you can't put your differences aside, then you can both leave."

" _Do you think this is what I wanted? She's my best friend's wife and your best friend. We weren't looking for this, it just happened."_

" _No, it didn't just happen. You're both adults and knew better so don't you dare blame Eric and me for a choice you both made. Now you expect me to feel sorry for you? Well I don't. You made your choice. You chose her."_

" _Jackie, it's not like that. You're my wife, I chose you. I will always choose you. I made a mistake."_

" _A mistake happens once Steven. You've kept making the same damn choice over and over and I can't pretend I don't see it anymore or ignore it to save our marriage. Eric was smart to leave. He knew you two would never stop and I stupidly gave you the benefit of the doubt, thinking you loved me enough to stop. I can't do this anymore."_

" _Jackie, we can work this out."_

" _No, we can't."_

"I'm going to go for a walk," Jackie tells the Forman. They both nod and Jackie watches as Kitty shifts in her seat nervously.

"I'll come with you" Eric says which earns him a pained look from Donna. Jackie can't help but feel satisfaction at her expense.

The pair walks out of the waiting room in silence, taking in the various other visitors with their anxious foot tapping, the rushing nurses and doctors and the cold air escaping from the vents.

"You know you shouldn't let her get to you" Eric says once they step outside.

The cold Wisconsin wind envelops Jackie immediately and she grabs the collar of her coat closer to her. The tension from inside dissipates immediately and she inhales deeply, taking in the clean smelling air. Instantly, she thinks about New York and what she would be doing right at this moment. Probably running errands, stopping for coffee with her girlfriends or shopping for some new décor for the house.

"You know that's easier said than done" she responds.

"I know, but it's really not worth it. Not anymore at least. You're in a good place now, don't let her take you back to the past."

"Again, easier said than done."

"You're better than that Jackie" Eric says, a frown on his face.

"Am I? I thought I was but I got so much satisfaction from rubbing my marriage in her face" Jackie says, equally disappointed in herself.

"You are. It's okay to still be mad for everything that's happened but don't yourself get stuck in that feeling."

"How did you get over it?" Jackie asks. It's been a while since she has thought about what happened a few years back. Ever since she moved to New York, it's been easy to adapt an "out of sight, out of mind" perspective. It got especially easy to move on when she met Lewis and she regained her happy. Being back home, however, brought all those buried feelings back and made her realize that she never quite got over what happened.

"Honestly? I had no other choice. I lost my best friend and my wife on the same day and for a while; I thought there was no way to get past that kind of betrayal. Then the more days passed, the angrier I got and it became so consuming that it took over every aspect of my life."

"I know the feeling" Jackie says, sympathizing with Eric.

"I yelled at mom one day. She was making me these pancakes that she always made because she knew they were my favorite. She left one on the stove too long and burned the edges a little bit and I just yelled at her. She cried. That's when I knew I had to get out of here because I was becoming someone I was ashamed of."

"I left too, but you don't seem as phased by being back here as I do" Jackie says, questioning why that is.

"Oh I am. Trust me, I am. But I'm not going to give them the power to make me forget all the great things that have happened to me. They have to live with what they did, have to be reminded of it every time they look at each other. We don't. We left and created great lives for ourselves with new people who make us happy. We don't have to sit on that burden and hurt like they do. So in the end, we won. Show them that we won."

Jackie looks at Eric and ponders his words. "We won?" she repeats, more to herself than to him.

Eric nods his head. "I'm going to head back in, see if there's any news." He reaches over and pats her shoulder. She nods and watches him walk back into the hospital. She starts to think about all that has happened over the last six and a half years and all the success, happiness, laughs and memories she has accumulated in that time. Eric is right. She has won.

" _Jackie, I love you. We've been through so much and I know I'm stupid and it's my fault we're in this situation but I don't want to be with anyone other than you. "_

" _Steven, you slept with my best friend several times. So you don't love me and obviously she was important enough for you to risk what we had."_

" _Had?"_

" _I'm done. We're done."_

A few minutes later, she follows suit and re-enters the hospital, determined to solidify her win once and for all. Once upstairs, she finds the doctor talking to the rest of the group, explaining the tests a little more in depth.

"Is Steven awake?" she interrupts.

"He is, the nurse is currently drawing blood for more tests," the doctor says.

"Can I see him?" she asks.

"I don't think that's appropriate," Donna argues.

"Uh, sure I will escort you" the doctor proposes and starts walking in the direction of Hyde's room.

"Jackie-" Donna starts to protest but Jackie ignores her and follows the doctor. She can hear Donna arguing with Eric but does not turn to look back.

"We're very happy with the progress he's made these last few days. Not many people get out of a car accident like that unscathed. He's lucky it's just a few bruises."

"Yes, he's lucky" she replies.

The doctor walks up to a door and from the small window, she can see a nurse labeling a few red vials. She looks over at Hyde on the hospital cot. It's been so long since she's seen his unruly hair or piercing blue eyes and she can't stop but stare at him.

"Right this way" the doctor exclaims and she makes eye contact with Hyde. His eyes widen and his mouth falls slightly agape. She was the last person he would have expected here. She fixes her stare to appear firm and not let him see how nervous she truly was.

"Are we all done?" the doctor asks the nurse who nods and picks up the tubes of blood. "Great. We'll give you both a minute" he says.

"Thanks" Jackie says and gives him a thankful nod.

A seemingly eternal silence falls between them in which they take in all the differences in each other. She notices the full beard, the looser curls highlighted by a few gray hairs. He takes in the straight hair, the extra freckles, and her wider hips. Through the many differences, there are so many similarities; the piercing, lustful stares, the tantalizing lips, the nervous ticks no one else could pick up.

She brings her index finger to her forehead and traces her right eyebrow and he smiles. It's what she did when the silence was awkward and she wanted to fill it but didn't dare be the first to speak.

"I didn't think you'd come" he says, taking her out of her misery.

"I am kind of legally obligated to be here" she points out.

He ponders this for a moment and realizes she is correct. "We never did file for divorce did we?"

"It appears that we didn't."

"It's not very typical for someone to go six years without seeing their spouse is it?"

"Not advisable, but here we are."

"Thank you for coming" Hyde starts and then stops himself. There is so much he wants to say, has wanted to say for the past six years and never got the chance to. There are so any regrets and apologies he owes her, but how does one even begin?

"Like I said, I was legally obligated to be here" she says, not wanting him to be hopeful that she came on her own accord.

"Right. I appreciate it regardless."

"You should really consider having someone else making medical decisions on your behalf. I can't guarantee that I wouldn't begrudgingly let them run experiments on you."

Hyde laughs and regrets it when a sharp pang strikes the side of his stomach.

"I won't stay long. Donna is pretty upset that I'm here at all" she says and sees him tense up. His smile falters and he clenches his jaw. He drops his gaze from her and the uncomfortable silence is back. This time, it lasts longer than before. She walks over to the chair by the window and she feels his eyes following her across the room.

"I'm sorry," he says.

"Don't. It's not why I'm here."

"I know, but I need to say it. I need to say it a million times because I am sorry."

"Steven, just-"

"Jackie, just listen."

" _Jackie please, just listen."_

Déjà vu.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

 _Seven years ago-_

Steven Hyde sits on the stool by the cash register, lazily eyeing the young couple sitting on the couch by the listening pit. The young man, with his spiky brown hair and patchy beard, gently runs his hand up and down his girlfriend's shoulder and pulls her in slightly as she nuzzles into the crook of his neck. They sit in a comfortable silence as the Beatles fills the immediate space around them. They couldn't be more than nineteen years old and this makes Hyde reflect back on his time as a teenager in love.

He had spent a great deal of time in his later teen years in a tumultuous relationship with the woman he was sure he would eventually settle down with. His relationship with Jackie had never been easy. Even from the very start when they had to keep it a secret from their friends, it always took more effort than a relationship should have taken; not that he would know given his lack of previous relationships. His past hook ups had given him the impression that an actual relationship wouldn't require so much upkeep. Even looking at Donna and Eric, whose biggest issue was who would say; "I love you" first, it seemed fairly simple.

Even after their relationship was exposed with their friends, the many differences in their personalities prevented them contributed to the disagreements or disappointments. He hated her neediness and constant need for reassurance and she hated his aloofness and lack of commitment. Not that he wasn't committed to her, he just couldn't be as committed as she wanted him to be. The idea of marriage and settling down, at that age, was overwhelming. Even though he eventually realized she was the one, it was hard admitting it because the thought had always terrified him. It didn't matter that he had the Forman's to look to for reassurance of how happy one could be in a marriage, he didn't know that he would be able to provide Jackie with all that she needed, and that scared him.

Now, years later, having finally settled down with her, he can't help but recall their path to marriage. After two short years, they had settled in quite well to their new roles. She was the perfect wife who asked him about his day and kissed him every morning. She was the kind of wife who would call him during her lunch breaks because she just wants to hear his voice and as silly as he would have found this a few years ago, it elated him now.

They weren't of course, without their issues. As great as things were most of the time, they still had differences that clashed with each other's. Usually, it stemmed from callous financial decisions made on both sides. She would spend too much money on a piece of furniture and he would purchase unnecessary things that cost too much.

"We can't afford that" became the constant phrase in their household, though it would lead nowhere as the other person would just cave because they knew they had no leverage to stand on. Their latest argument, however, stemmed from Jackie's new potential position.

A new job working behind the scenes at a television station would lead her to be away for half the week as it was over two hours away. She proposed the idea of having a rented apartment where she could stay while at work and he could stay on days he came to visit.

"Jackie, no. We just got married and now you want to live apart half the time? No."

"Steven, this is a great position and it could lead to bigger things in the end. I can't just turn it down."

"Yes you can. I understand that it's important but come on."

"What if you opened a store out there and find someone manage the one here? Then we could just live together and you'd only have to come once a month or so to check up on the store."

"I can't believe you're actually considering this."

"It's a great opportunity. This is what I always wanted."

"I thought _this_ is what you always wanted."

"Of course I want us Steven, you know that. But I can't just turn this down."

And she didn't. After weeks of back and forth, she took the job and he helped her find an apartment. Once she started the job, she took to it like a fish to water. She was a natural and got along with her co-workers. She loved the fast-pace aspect of it, which is something she never got in Point Place. However, once her supervisors realized how great she was at her job, they offered her more hours and that meant staying more days.

"I know I was supposed to come home today, but they really need me at the station so I'm going to drive down tomorrow morning instead."

Cue another argument.

Hyde comes to from his daze when the bell above the store door rings. He sees Donna entering the store, a dark look on her face and she immediately walks over to him. She walks around the counter and plops down on the stool next to him.

"Aren't you just a ball of sunshine" Hyde says quickly glancing over at her and then returning his gaze to the teenagers.

"Eric's such an idiot" she grumbles and curves her spine. Her elbows are resting on the counter supporting her head.

"He's never been very smart if you ask me" Hyde replies jokingly. He braced himself for another tale of Donna and Eric. Currently in their fifth year of marriage, they have started to discuss expanding their family. Eric, nervous as he is, always found ways to question if they were ready. He always wondered if they were financially stable enough, emotionally prepared enough, had enough support around them. Donna, on the other hand, wanted to expand their family despite constant comments about lacking a maternal instinct, which didn't help diminish their arguments.

"Why is it so hard to just try and have a kid? Why does he have to question everything about it?"

"Having a kid is a lot of responsibility," Hyde answers.

"Which we can handle. No one is completely ever ready to have a child but manage it just fine" she says.

"Maybe he just doesn't want to settle for just fine."

"Settle? How would he be setting? We've been married for five years, this is the next step."

"Says who?"

"Says everyone."

"You should really stop going off what everyone says and figure out what works for you both. If he's not ready, then he's not ready. Can't push him into that big D" Hyde says.

The young girl stands up from her spot on the count and walks over to a shelf to peruse the records. From the corner of his eyes, her boyfriend watches her, a smile on his face.

"I'm just so sick of him doubting everything. We're doing well in our jobs so money's not an issue and this is just what married people do. We talked about this before so I don't understand what his issue is now."

"Like I said, having a kid is a big responsibility."

Donna groans. "You're his best friend, of course you're going to look out for him."

"Yeah, but I'm also your friend. You would be good parents but only when you're both ready and if he's not, you just have to be patient."

"You mean be more patient than what I've been?"

Hyde just nods his head up and down. He really didn't want to get involved in his friend's marriage, let alone their arguments. He's had conversations with Eric, in which he's mentioned not feeling ready for a kid, which Hyde can absolutely understand. Being responsible for another human being and trying to raise them to be decent people seemed like a lot to take on. A lot more than he could handle at the time, and he wasn't a fidgety person like Eric so he could sympathize with his friend.

The spiky haired boy gets off the couch as well and walks up to his girlfriend who is still searching the shelves. He slithers his arms around her waist and she leans her head back to his chest. Even without seeing their faces, Hyde can tell they are smiling. How would it feel for a relationship to be, seemingly, that simple? To just enjoy sharing a space without having to say so? Must be nice.

Donna groans yet again and rolls her eyes. "To be young and in love huh?" she says, almost as though reading his mind. Again, Hyde just nods and the two sit silently for a moment watching the movements of the young couple.

"How have things been going with Jackie?" Donna asks after a few minutes.

"As usual" Hyde simply responds. That seems to explain a lot and now it's Donna who nods.

"It must be hard being apart so much" she says.

"I suppose you get used to it after a while. It's what she wants so there's not much I can do right now."

"Have you told her what you want?" Donna asks turning over to look at her friend.

"She knows. We've talked about it to death, but this is what we're going right now."

"That doesn't seem fair," Donna starts, "that you're having to deal with it even though it's not what you want."

"Donna, I'm used to not getting my way. This is just another thing on the long list. If this is what makes her happy, then it's what we're going to do right now."

"Well, what's the plan after right now? Are you guys just going to keep doing this long distance marriage?"

"I have no idea."

"Excuse me," calls out the young girl from across the room, "do you by any chance have any Steppenwolf?"

Hyde scrunches his nose, not so subtly disapproving of her musical taste, and points towards the back wall. "Check that shelf" he says and watches her shuffle over to the shelf and flip through a few records. Her boyfriend watches on from his spot and then walks back to the listening pit to wait for her to finish her search.

"How did we end up like this?" Donna whispers, more to herself than to him.

"Like what?" he asks.

"Unhappy I suppose."

"I never said I was unhappy" Hyde responds.

"No one would assume that you are happy given the current state of your marriage," Donna replies.

"There's nothing wrong with my marriage, it's just a little unconventional right now but we will figure it out."

"Sure" Donna says and the two just stare at the girl still searching for an album that Hyde knows isn't there.

For the next half hour, everyone in the store is silent and only the soft sounds emanating from the radio fill the room. After some time, the couple walks over to the counter with a few records in hand.

"I couldn't find any Steppenwolf, maybe you ran out of copies" the young girl says to Steven, almost as though in an effort to inform him to restock his inventory.

"I will try to remember to make an order" he lies and takes their records to ring up. The younger man hands him a ten dollar bill, not nearly enough to cover the cost of the records but Hyde doesn't say anything, no use embarrassing the young kid in front of his girl. The boy gives Hyde a thankful nod that he subtly returns and watches them walk out of the store.

"Please turn that music off" Donna says and before he gets a chance, she hops off the stool and walks over to the record player by the listening put and turns it off herself. She plops down with a loud hub on the old couch and proceeds to lay down dramatically.

"Make yourself at home" Hyde says sarcastically and she flips him off.

"Do you have any film? I think I need a circle."

"It's not a circle with two people now is it?"

"Do you have any or not?" she persists.

"I do, but you can't tell Jackie. She wants us to try and cut down on the film intake. Something about a clear mind, smart decisions."

"Who are you and what have you done with Hyde?"

"Blame it on the marriage. I'll be right back" he says and makes his way to the storage room in the back where he has stored a small bag of film.

A few minutes later, the two old friends are sitting across from each other, a cloud of smoke hovering over them. The sweet smell inundates the air above them and Hyde inhales deeply and laughs.

"Jackie was supposed to come home today" he says laughing.

Donna eyes him and then joins him in laughter. "Maybe she can teleport instead of driving" she says.

"Hey," Hyde starts hesitating abruptly, "the government doesn't want us to know that teleportation is possible because then we wouldn't have to pay for cars or gasoline and would bankrupt the economy."

Donna narrows her eyes and tilts her head to the side, pondering what her friend has just shared. Before she can process his words, he bursts forward in a fit of laughter. She watches him and frowns. "I haven't seen Eric in days" she shares.

"Wait, I thought you just finished arguing with him."

"Over the phone. He said he needed to go on a work trip a few days ago but I don't know where he is."

"A work trip? Forman's job is here in Point Place man."

"I know" she says with a deeper frown.

Hyde looks down at the rolled up joint between his fingers and rolls it between his right thumb and index finger. "What a depressing circle" he states.

Donna nods her head and chuckles. "I don't think I'm high enough."

"Well," Hyde says and passes her the cigarette, "smoke up."

Donna takes a long puff and holds the smoke as long as she can to ensure that she is affected more. She wants to forget her argument with Eric or the fact that Eric hasn't been home in days. She exhales and immediately takes another pull.

"Take it easy there big D" Hyde said reaching over to her to pull the joint away.

Hyde pulls on the cigarette and looks over at his friend who appears deep in thought. He glances over at a clock on the wall and sees that it's almost two hours past the time Jackie was supposed to arrive. He sighs; resigning any hopes he had of her surprising him and still showing up.

"Do you remember when we were younger and you had a thing for me?" Donna asks suddenly.

Hyde looks over to her and raises one brow. "Uh, yeah sure" he says. He's never actually had a conversation with Donna about the way he used to feel about her. Once she made it clear she was choosing Eric, he buried those feelings and that was that.

"What made you stop trying?"

"Stop trying what?"

"What made you stop trying to make me your girlfriend?" she asks.

"Well you started dating my best friend for one. That pretty much makes everything else null and void."

"Well, what if I didn't want you to stop trying?" Donna says coyly.

"Hey, listen man, I know you're mad at Forman but this conversation is starting to get really weird."

Donna stands up from her stool and retakes a seat at the edge of the couch, just a few inches from Hyde. "I'm just curious Hyde, what if you had known that I didn't want you to stop?"

"Eric liked you and I wasn't going to cross that line man."

"You crossed that line with Jackie though. I mean, she was dating Kelso after all and you still dated her even though she was your best friend's ex."

"That's different."

"How? How is it different?"

"Because it's Jackie."

Donna looks down at her hands and then, without thinking twice, extends her arm and places a hand on Hyde's knee. They both look down at her hand and remain silent.

"What are you doing Donna?" Hyde says, his voice barely audible. His head is whirling and he can't process what is going on. Is Donna flirting with him? Putting the moves on him? She can't be. She's his best friend's wife and his wife's best friend.

"I just want to feel better Hyde. I'm so angry and I know you're angry too, so why don't we help each other feel better?" she says looking up and making eye contact with him. It's the first time in a long time that she can see his naked eyes and she feels a static flow through her body. She hadn't noticed how blue and expressive they are.

"You're high" he says gently lifting her hand off his knee.

Donna stands up from her spot on the couch and shifts a few inches and takes a seat on his lap. Hyde lifts his hands at his side and stares down at his now occupied lap. "Donna, stop" he says shifting in his seat a bit to get her up. He immediately thinks about Jackie and how she's the only girl who sits on his lap. He notices how differently Donna fits, not as perfectly as Jackie.

"Hyde, it's okay. We're just two friends helping each other through a tough time."

Hyde glances over at the clock again, three hours. Damn it. Had Jackie just shown up, he wouldn't be in this position. He could be with her at their home, making dinner and pretending to hear about her day. He is angry.

"You don't have to say anything Hyde and I won't say anything. It's not like we have anyone to tell, they're never here anyway" Donna says and before he can reply, she lowers her head and her lips meet his. Her tongue slips out of her mouth and into his and despite the chaos going on in his head, yelling at him to pull away and go home, he doesn't. He doesn't pull away. Instead, he reaches up and grabs a handful of her hair to deepen the kiss.

The moans she makes him more aggressive. Donna breaks away for just a second and throws her legs on either side of him to straddle him. She crashes her lips on his once more, her hips gyrating against his pelvis, which elicit soft groans from him. Every part of him is screaming to stop because they're both high and making a terrible mistake, to send her home and never mention this again, but he doesn't.

He is very angry.


	3. Chapter 3

_Present day:_

Jackie takes a quick glance around the hospital room and notices all the beeping machines monitoring Hyde's vitals. The sterile smell lingering in the air, the bland blue and white furniture in the room, the muffled sounds of doctors, nurses and visitors outside of the room make her head whirl for a moment. It has been such a long time since she has been in Point Place and, given how well her life was outside of this town, she never thought she'd be back, let alone under the current circumstances. For six years, she pondered what she would do or say if she ever saw Steven Hyde again and now that she is face to face with him, she is overwhelmed by everything she wants to say.

"I know you probably don't want to hear any apologies from me after everything that has happened-" Hyde starts before she interrupts him.

"It won't mean anything Steven. What's done is done and so much time has passed since I left that it really won't change anything."

"I know it won't change anything Jackie but I want to at least talk about it since we never got a chance to."

Jackie looks directly at him. Part of her is intrigued as to what he could possibly say to her about everything that went on six years ago and a bigger part is growing madder every second he speaks. "What could there possibly be left to say?"

"I just want you to listen. Please, just listen. I know I don't deserve that but if you could just please let me explain-" he says before being cut off again.

"Explain? Do you remember what I walked into the day I left or should I refresh your memory? I'm not sure how you could even begin to explain that."

"I didn't forget Jackie, I could never forget. I just want us to talk about it."

"I don't think that's a good idea and I'm glad you remember because for years all I could think about was walking into my husband and best friend having sex in _my_ bed. You can't possibly understand what that felt like Steven" Jackie starts and her voices cracks. _Damn it_ she thinks to herself and stands up. She walks over to the small window in the room and looks out. She is not going to cry, refuses to let him see that this still affects her. Hell, she didn't think it would after so long.

"No, I don't know and would never pretend to know what you went through but I do want to apologize. I never meant to hurt you."

Jackie laughs and turns to look at him. "What did you mean to do then?"

"I-I don't know" Hyde replies and Jackie rolls her eyes. His infamous I don't know line.

"Then this conversation is pointless" Jackie says.

"Jackie, it wasn't logical and it certainly wasn't something we planned on happening. Eric was gone and you weren't around much because of work so-"

"Oh so this is our fault? The two of you having an affair is because Eric and I weren't around. Well, that's good to know" Jackie interrupts again.

"I'm not blaming you Jackie, I would never do that. We just spent a lot of time together talking about things and then it just happened and we knew what we were doing was wrong but we just…"

"Never thought about how it would hurt Eric or me?"

"Of course we did. We thought about it all the time."

"And that wasn't enough to make you stop. So I have to wonder how much you actually loved me Steven, if knowing how devastated I would be wasn't enough to make you stop sleeping with Donna."

"I loved you Jackie. You were my wife; hell you're _still_ my wife. I would have done everything for you."

"That seems to include sleeping with my best friend."

"It wasn't like that Jackie. I'm not trying to justify what happened between Donna and me, I wouldn't be able to and I know I fucked up. I just want to apologize and make sure you know it wasn't your fault."

"I never once thought it was my fault Steven. This was never about me, it was about you and your inability to be faithful and committed."

"I was committed to you Jackie."

"You and I seem to have very different definitions of commitment then. You don't think it was hard for me being away from you then? Sure I loved my job and it was my decision to take it, but I did it because I thought it would be better for us long-term. I asked you several times to go down and open a store there so we could be together. That would have been easy to do but you chose not to. It was incredibly hard to only see you a few days a month but I _never_ turned to someone else. I respected you and the vows we made. I was committed to you. That's what that means."

"Jackie, I was committed to you even if you don't believe me. Yes I messed up but I never would have chosen Donna over you."

"Are you kidding? You can't be this stupid. You did choose Donna over me. The moment you were unfaithful you made your choice."

"Fuck, Jackie what do you want me to say to prove to you that I loved you and would have done anything for you?"

"What do I want you to say? Nothing. There is nothing you can say because at the end of the day, you made your decision and to top it off, you chose to stay with her afterwards. So nothing you can possibly say will make me feel better or change my mind about what you did."

"Jackie-"

"No. We're done here. The only reason I'm here is because I _have_ to be, not because I want to. I didn't come to see you or get an apology from you because I don't need it. I'm happier than I've ever been and I will be filing for divorce so you should expect those papers soon."

"Jackie, can you please-"

"I'll have your girlfriend come in and see you now" Jackie says and walks out of the room.

Once outside the room, Jackie takes a deep breath and wipes the corners of her eyes, trying to prevent the few tears threatening to spill. After years of holding on to the hurt and betrayal caused by the two people closest to her, it was great saying everything she wanted to say and leaving on her own terms. Finally, she feels like she can close that painful chapter behind and move forward. Like Eric said, they won and at this moment, she felt like a winner.

 **Author's note: Sorry for the two-week break but here is the latest chapter. I expect to have the next chapter up on Friday and expect some interactions between Donna and Jackie as well as Eric and Hyde.**


	4. Chapter 4

_Seven years ago:_

Donna walks over to the cabinet under her kitchen sink and pulls out a bottle of wine she has hidden towards the back. She then grabs a wine glass from the cupboard and pours more merlot into it than any person should before 9:30 in the morning. The dampness of the morning makes her hesitant to start running her weekly errands and all she wants to do is stay in bed, drinking wine and watching mindless television to help get her mind of the crumbling state of her marriage.

In the days since she has seen her husband, Donna has had too much time to think about all the potential things he could be doing and with whom he could be spending his time. She was no longer buying his excuses about having to travel for work, not after their last argument before he left. The topic of conversation, though not a new one, had never escalated to the degree it had during that particular fight. She continued to insist to Eric that they were ready to expand their family and his level of excitement, as usual, did not match hers. It finally dawned on Donna that perhaps the reason he did not want kids was because he didn't want them with her.

"You're being ridiculous Donna. If I didn't want kids would you, why would I ask you to marry me?"

"Then why can't we start trying to build our family?" she protested, almost whining with immediately disgusted her. How did she before the person who had to beg her husband to have kids? He was the one who usually begged her, how did their roles switch?

"Because we're not ready."

"We're not ready or are _you_ not ready?" she pushes on.

"We. And I would really rather not have this conversation with you again, it never ends well."

She should have just dropped the conversation at that moment. He clearly wasn't in the right mind space to discuss kids and she could tell he was distracted. Maybe it had to do with work, or something else. But of course she didn't drop it, because she could not comprehend why he was adamant that they were not ready to have children. She felt ready and they had been together for so long that this was the only possible next step their relationship could take.

"Well I'm talking about it and you have no choice but to sit here and talk to me about why you don't want kids with me."

"That's not what I said."

"You don't have to say it, it's obvious just by the way you hesitate. So either tell me the truth about why you don't want to have kids or we really need to start having a different conversation here."

"Donna, I'm not going to have this conversation again and I really wish you would stop with the threats every time a conversation does not go your way."

"Damn it Eric, we are having this conversation whether you like it or not."

"No, and I have to go to work so this is really not the right time."

"It never is the right time for you."

He walked away without responding and she watched as he gathered his few belongings and walked out of their home without so much as looking back in her direction or muttering a word. For the first time in a very long time she starts to question the direction their marriage is going and Eric's feelings towards her. When was the last time they said _I love you_ to each other?

She spent the day at home waiting for him to return but he never did. Instead, she got a call from him saying he would be staying in a hotel because he needed some space and time for himself. She should have immediately seen the red flags. No matter how bad their arguments got, he would always come home and they would work things out. That first night became two, three and before she knew it, he had been gone for a few days. She called the Formans numerous times to see if he was staying with them, but they hadn't seen him either.

"What do you mean my baby isn't staying there? Well where could he be?" Kitty asked frantically. Donna made a mental note that every time she called the Formans, she would only speak if Red picked up the phone because she could not deal with Kitty placing the blame on her for Eric running away.

After a few hours of sitting around drinking wine, the telephone rings and Donna's heart starts racing and she immediately jumps up and grabs the receiver.

"Eric?" she answers.

"Hey" he responds.

"Eric, where are you?"

"I just had to go away for work."

"For work? Eric your work is here. Where did you have to go? What's going on?"

"I just had to go take care of a few things for work out in Michigan. I should be home in a few days."

"Eric, what the hell? You can't just take off like that and not call me. Do you know how worried I've been? How worry your parents have been?"

"You called my parents?" he replies, an evident annoyance in his voice.

"Of course I called your parents! I haven't heard from you in days."

"Jesus Donna what else did you tell them?"

"What else did I tell them? What else is there to say? Why don't you tell me what the hell is going on with you? We get into an argument and you just run off without saying where you're going, that's not how marriage works Eric, not our marriage at least."

"I'm just tired of arguing with you the same thing all the time. It's like you're so set in what you want that you're incapable of understanding what I think about the whole thing."

"How can I know what you think if you don't talk to me about it" she says.

"I already told you, we're not ready to have kids."

"But why do you think that? You still haven't given me a reason."

"We're just not Donna, can you just accept that right now?"

"No, that's not an acceptable answer. You need to have a better reason for why you thi- Eric? Hello? Eric!"

She hears the dial tone coming from the other line and realizes that he has hung up on her. Never in their decade long relationship has he been dismissive of her. This isn't her Eric. This is not the man she married.

After a few moments passed and she feels herself getting sadder and sadder, she becomes angry at herself for being the kind of person who is this affected by another's action. She is not going to sit around and allow him to destroy her like this.

She puts the wine back and places the glass in the sick. She runs upstairs to shower and cleanse herself of all these emotions, at least temporarily. She is determined to be the Donna she was a few years ago, where she held the power in the relationship and wouldn't let Eric dictate how she felt about herself.

Less than an hour later, she hops in her car and begins to drive, without a direction in mind. Aimlessly wondering the city where she grew up, she is instantly reminded of all the unfulfilled dreams she had and all the places she had wanted to visit that she never did and for the first time, wonders if marrying Eric was the right decision or if it forced her to stifle her goals in exchange for the life she had now.

The aimless wonder eventually led her to Grooves. She knew Hyde was going through somewhat of a similar ordeal in his long distance marriage with Jackie and if anyone could understand her at this moment, it would be him. At least as close to understanding as Steven Hyde could muster. After parking, she walks out into the chilly day and as soon as she walks into the store is faced with the gut-wrenching feeling of having to witness two young kids in love. She is immediately reminded of her relationship with Eric when it first started. She can't help but miss all the butterflies in the stomach she used to feel when their hands would accidentally brush against each other or the long night conversations where they couldn't hang up even though they had ran out of things to say for the day.

How she misses that and how envious she is that these kids get to experience it now. She looks up at Hyde who is also staring at them and wonders if, given his own circumstances, he is thinking the same thing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** _ **I apologize profusely for the slight hiatus. I went on vacation and returned to an insane amount of work. I started this chapter about two weeks ago and just today had enough time to complete it. Enjoy it and thanks to all of you who have taken the time to review. I have read your comments and truly appreciate them and hope to be able to reply as soon as I have more time. Until next time!**_

 _Present day-_

Fez sits next to Eric in the waiting room and bites a large piece of the chocolate bar he finally managed to extract from the vending machine. He tries to remember the last time he was in the hospital but he can't, though if he had to bet, it was probably one of the times after Kelso fell off a tree or the water tower or some place equally as stupid. He also can't remember the last time he saw Michael Kelso. Prior to today, he also had not seen Jackie or Eric for a long time.

He tries to remember the last time the six of them were in the same room together, just having a good time talking about nothing at all and laughing like they had when they were teenagers. Perhaps it was at Jackie and Hyde's wedding. He can't remember much but he can remember the exact moment his friend group deteriorated.

It had been such a normal day for them. Eric was away at work, as he usually was in those days. Jackie was driving back to spend the weekend, Hyde was at Grooves and Donna was off somewhere running errands. He was where he could always be found, the basement. Not much had changed for him, which some could see as pathetic but he enjoyed his routine and he was happy with the life he was leading. What more could a guy want than a vast amount of candy, a relaxing space to watch television and eat said candy and the occasional action from an older lady. Sure he could use the company of his partner in crime, but he understood that Kelso had parental responsibilities and needed to be closer to his daughter.

That normal day quickly turned sour when Jackie stormed into the basement late in the evening crying and incoherently saying something about Donna and Hyde. At first, Fez hadn't been able to make out what she was saying and then he started to understand a few words but he kept thinking he'd heard wrong. It wasn't until Hyde rushed in trying to explain things to her that he realized the severity of the situation and immediately realized things would never be the same.

Now, having to sit in the uncomfortable silence created by his friends, Fez can't help but miss the good times they had together when they were teenagers. To think, they had been in such a hurry to grow up. He takes a last bite of his candy and sees Jackie coming towards them. He glances over at Donna who catches his eye for just a moment. That brief glance lets him know just how mad she really is that Jackie had overstepped some boundaries, which funnily enough is ironic given Donna's own problems with breaking them.

A part of him, the one that lived for girl-on-girl drama, cannot wait to see what unfolds between the former friends. However, even he knew this particular location is not right for any form of confrontation that may arise. He can only hope that the two women respect the Formans enough to not cause a scene in front of them in a hospital waiting room.

Within seconds, Donna quickly stood up and walked over to Jackie. Fez saw the Formans looking at each other and following suit. Not wanting to be left out, Fez also stood and walked over to the brunette.

"How is Hyde?" Donna immediately asks.

"He's fine, just sore" Jackie replies flatly.

"Well, what else did the doctor's say? What have they been doing to him and how come no one's been allowed to see him?" Donna continues.

"They did not say much else and I guess they were just waiting for his _wife_ to arrive before letting anyone see him" Jackie says, a hint of bitterness in her tone and Fez sees Mrs. Forman cringe a bit, nervous about what Donna's reaction was going to be.

"Oh fuck off Jackie. Don't come back here claiming the wife status when you know dam well that's not your role anymore."

"I don't have to claim the wife status Donna, I _am_ Steven's wife."

"Alright, enough" Red intervenes. His voice is as firm as the look he gives the two girls and Fez stands very still, not wanting to be an additional recipient of that look. "Jackie," the older man continues, "did the doctor give you any additional information and how is Steven doing?"

Jackie relaxes and turns slightly to look at Red. "The doctor just said he is very lucky to have made it out of the accident with minimal injuries. Steven seems fine. He's speaking normally and I think he will be alright."

"Oh that's wonderful" Kitty says and Fez can sense an immediate relief. "When can we see him?" she asks.

At that moment, the doctor walks up to the group. "How are you folks holding up?" he asks.

"How is Hyde?" Donna asks immediately.

"Mr. Hyde is doing well, we're pleased with the progress he has made and expect that within the next few days we can release him. We just want to run a few tests on him to ensure that no abnormalities or complications arise, but we are hopeful he will make a complete recovery."

"That is the best news Doctor. Can we see him?" Kitty asks again.

"I recommend letting him rest for now, perhaps in a couple of hours we will allow more visitors to enter his room.

The word visitor triggers Donna and Fez can see her clench her jaw tightly and roll her eyes once she notices the subtle smirk on Jackie's face.

"Thank you" Red says before the doctor walks away. "Kitty, let's go home. We can come back later today to see Steven," he continues.

"I'll go with you guys," Eric says. Fez turns and looks at his friend who up until now had remained silent. He does not want to be left alone with Jackie and Donna but he knew that they should not be left alone and by default, it was his job to stay.

Kitty nods her head and proceeds to hug each kid. She shoots one look at Fez and he can automatically tell it's her way of telling him to keep the two women under control. He nods in her direction to reassure her that he will do his best. Her small smile lets him know that she has confidence in him to complete the job and that makes him feel good.

Within a minute of the Formans leaving, Donna turns to Jackie and Fez can already sense that his nonverbal promise to Mrs. Forman will be tougher to maintain than he thought.

"This is such bullshit,' Donna starts. "You can't just show up here after all these years and try to run things, especially not when it comes to Hyde."

"You know, I think it's fascinating that you still refer to him as Hyde. I was sure that after all this time, given how _real_ you claim your relationship is, you would call him Steven" Jackie responds.

"Oh fuck off Jackie, what I call my boyfriend has nothing to do with you. Why don't you just do us all a favor and go back to your house and whatever sad, pathetic life you're living out there."

"Okay, I think we all should try to relax. I can go get candy. Anyone?" Fez says but goes unheard.

"I guess that's what you have to resort to calling him. Steven might just be something reserved for his wife…oh wait, that's still me."

"Spare me the wife title because I really don't care for it at this point."

"Not that you ever did right Donna? Not even when you had it. It takes a special kind of person to take that role seriously and honor the vows they made. But I guess you wouldn't know anything about that so I won't bore you with the details."

"You don't know anything about my marriage to Eric. Neither of you were around and-"

"Now you space me the excuses. I'm sure you both lay at night together trying to feel good about your relationship, but at the end of the day, your relationship started off tainted and that's what it will always be. Every time you look at each other, you will have to remember how it started. Just imagine having to tell your children the story of how their parents got together. What an interesting story that will be don't you think Fez?" Jackie says turning to look at Fez. He just shakes his head and looks down, not wanting to take part in the conversation.

"You have no right-" Donna starts before being cut off again.

"Don't I? I think I do actually. I won't waste anymore of my time with the details. Fez, you have my number, call me and keep me updated?" Jackie says and before Fez can answer, she starts walking away.

For a brief, uncomfortable moment, Fez and Donna stare after her and Fez can sense the anger radiating from Donna's body.

"So, do you want that candy now?" he asks trying to alleviate the tension.

Donna glares at him and walks over to reclaim her seat in the waiting area. Fez shrugs his shoulders and walks back over to the vending machine, thankful for the brief relief chocolate will offer him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** _ **Sorry for the short hiatus. Here is the newest chapter. Next one should be up early next week. Enjoy! (And thanks to all of you who have taken the time to review and offer your thoughts on the story. I read them all and seriously appreciate the feedback even if I don't take the time to response. Just know that I am so thankful for your thoughts and input!)**_

 _Nine years ago:_

Jackie looks around the barely decorated room, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering wildly and making her lightheaded. She walks over to the stiff loveseat and plops down a little too quickly given the side jab she gets from the corset of her dress. She takes several deep breaths; trying to trick her body into thinking this is just a regular day.

 _One_

 _Two_

 _Breathe_

She presses her hand against her stomach trying to sooth the stiffness from the corset. Donna had warned her about wearing such a tight bodice on such a day but of course she didn't list. She certainly was not about to start taking fashion advice from Donna, especially on the most important day of her life. Hell, she was lucky enough that she got Steven to propose, she needed to make sure she looked absolutely stunning on the day of their wedding. She wanted him to always think back on this day and remember how hot his wife looked.

 _Wife…_

She could not believe that after all the years spent trying to make things work between the two of them, they finally got to this point. She was finally going to walk down the aisle to them man she has loved for years and be able to call Steven Hyde her husband. She can't remember how many nights she spent thinking of what their future would look like, what their kids would be like, what routine they would pick up and what traditions they would adopt if they were to ever get married. Now, all she had to do was wait a few more hours and they would be well on their way to a life where all her questions would be answered.

A knock on the door interrupts her thoughts and she looks up to see Donna peeking her head through the wooden door.

"Are you decent?" Donna asks.

"Decent? How old are you? Come in" Jackie responds.

"Jeez, even of your wedding day you're bossy" Donna says walking into the room.

"Is Steven here already?" Jackie asked. The reasoning behind the question, and she would deny it if anyone asked, was because she was trying to put to rest any insecurities she was holding onto from her teenage years and their relationship in the beginning. She wanted to make sure that he finally was willing to give her the happy ending she has longed for all this time.

"He arrived with Eric about half hour ago. I checked in on them before coming here to make sure they didn't get into anything stupid before the ceremony" Donna says.

"That was smart" Jackie says with a quiet sigh of relief. Now she could truly enjoy the last 20 minutes she has as a single woman.

"How are you feeling?" Donna asks Jackie as she takes a seat on the couch adjacent the love seat.

"Excited, nervous…like I have all these little butterflies just fluttering about inside and I can't get them to stand still long enough. But happy, really really happy" Jackie responds.

"That sounds about right. As long as you're not getting cold feet about it, then everything should go smoothly."

"Oh no, no cold feet. I've been waiting for this for way too long to back out now."

Donna smiles and nods her head. She has been present for all the volumes of Jackie and Hyde's relationship. Has quietly sat by through the arguments, and the loud lovemaking in the basement. She has also sat idly by, much to her regret now, through cheating, games and stripper wives. She would be lying if she said she had imagined Jackie and Hyde in this moment after all they've been through and that makes her think of her own relationship with Eric.

After all the crazy whirlwind moments in her own relationship, which include a different continent and a Kelso, she had had her doubts about whether or not she and Eric would make it. Luckily, much like Hyde and Jackie, the love they had for each other surpassed every obstacle and now they were happy and better than ever.

"I'm really happy for you too" Donna says.

Jackie smiles. "Thanks Donna, I really appreciate you saying that."

Donna nods and stands up. "I'm going to go and make sure everything is good to go. Only ten minutes left before you officially become Mrs. Steven Hyde."

Jackie laughs and nods her head excitedly. "I seriously can't wait" she says and watches as Donna walks back out of the room. She takes another deep breath and rests her head against the loveseat, careful not to squish the curls. Basking in the final ten minutes of her singlehood, she thinks about all the things in her relationship that have led her to this point, all the moments in her life that have made her strong enough to overcome everything she has and still be able to forgive someone and truly give her heart away. One moment truly stands out and for Jackie, it epitomizes their entire relationship.

 _1981:_

 _Jackie stood outside the large house where she spent most of her childhood in and watched the three young, unfamiliar children running across the yard, their toys scattered everywhere on the lawn. Pam Burkhart would have never allowed such a mess to fill her perfectly manicured lawn. It amazed Jackie that such joy could come from children living in a home that caused her so much emotional distress._

 _It surprised her to have ended up on this side of town on her way to Grooves but something kept pulling her. Perhaps it was not having seen the house in such a long time, or having received the latest postcard from Pamela Burkhart from Acapulco, Mexico. Even after all these years, her mother had not changed. When her father was released from prison the year prior, Jackie thought that her mother would perhaps try to reconcile or make an attempt to see him, but that didn't happen. She seems to be too enthralled with her life as a bachelorette to go back to her trophy wife status. Not that Jackie can blame her. She wouldn't go back to her father either after everything the family went through._

 _Seeing the happiness exuded from these children leads Jackie to wonder what her life would have been life if she came from a non-broken household. Would she have wasted years waiting for her parents to show her some affection? Would she have been more accomplished? Would she have been able to relate to Steven Hyde as she has?_

 _With that last thought, Jackie walks away from the house and back towards her car. She resumes her trip towards Groove to see her boyfriend. After all they've been through, Steven Hyde and Jackie Burkhart were back on track and better than ever before. Sure the trust issues were still rampant and they argued occasionally about nonsensical issues, but there was definitely a calming shift in their relationship that kept her at ease. She was determined to just let it be and see what came of it, with minimal expectations._

 _A short ride later, she arrives at an empty store and immediately spots her boyfriend sitting by the counter reading a magazine. He looks up once the chime on the door rings and smiles at her. He puts the magazine down on the counter and hops off the stool to meet her by the door. She takes a few steps forward and throws her arms around his neck and instantly, he kisses her. She moans against his lips and he deepens the kiss and it never seizes to amaze her the impact he has on her. Even after all these years, kissing him feels like a new discovery._

" _I missed you" he whispers as he pulls away._

" _You saw me this morning" she answers._

" _I missed you as soon as you left."_

 _She smiles and tightens her embrace, bringing his forehead against his. Just a year ago, those words would never have escaped him, even if forced. Now, he says them with such ease and honesty she can't help but believe him._

" _I missed you too." In that seemingly insignificant moment, she forgets all about the sadness she experienced from seeing her childhood home and thinking about her parents abandoning her. She feels a level of comfort and security she hasn't felt in a long time and in his arms, she knows nothing bad can happen. In that very moment, she can feel everything she has ever asked him to express: all the love, trust and hope in their future. Everything she has ever wanted, she feels and sees when looking into his eyes. This time, she knows they'll make it. This time is different._


	7. Chapter 7

_Present day-_

Jackie drives up to the driveway and parks behind the old, orange car. It never seizes to amaze her that she can always remember how to get to this house, even after years of being out of town. The last time she was inside had been the day before she left for good and all she could remember was being utterly heartbroken and Mrs. Forman forcing hot chocolate on her in an effort to make her feel better.

Now, years later, the house doesn't seem as haunting as it did that day. Jackie puts the car in park and steps out. She takes a quick look around the drive way and her heart skips a beat when she realizes the black El Camino is not parked there anymore. Her memories of this place are so heavily dependent on him that it takes her aback when she no longer sees things associated to him.

 _Stop thinking about him what the hell is wrong with you?_ She thinks to herself before closing the car door and making her way inside through the sliding doors. In the kitchen, she finds the Formans and Eric sitting around the table. They all look up once she walks in and Eric offers her a reassuring smile and a subtle head nod that she returns.

"Oh Jackie sweetie, you're here. Let me get you a cup of coffee, come sit" Kitty says instantly rushing towards her and pulling a chair for her to sit on.

"Thanks Mrs. Forman, coffee would be great." Jackie plops down on the chair and looks over at Red who eyes her curiously, as though asking how things went when they left the hospital.

Jackie nods her head and mouths a silent "it's okay" to him that seems to immediately ease any worries he had. He turns his attention back to his coffee and within seconds, Kitty has a cup of steaming coffee in front of her.

"Thanks Mrs. Forman" Jackie says and the older woman smiles and reclaims her seat next to her husband.

"So Eric was just telling us about life in Chicago and Brittany's new job" Kitty says.

"What is she doing now?" Jackie asks.

"She's in a new school now, first graders this time. She seems to be happier there so as of now it's a better fit" Eric answers, happy for any opportunity to talk about his girlfriend. Jackie met her once, about a year after they both escaped Point Place and she was at a conference in Chicago. She contacted Eric who then invited her over for dinner where she met Brittany and they hit it off right away. The day following Jackie's conference, the two women went for lunch without Eric and it was Brittany who helped Jackie start to heal from the trauma that followed her separation.

"Oh that's great, I remember her talking about looking for a new school. I'm glad she's happy there and now you're buying a house."

"Putting a bid on it but I hope we get it because Britt fell in love with it."

"Where is the house?" Jackie asks.

"About 30 minutes outside of Illinois which works because we'll both have a short commute to work."

"Can you believe how grown up our little boy is Red?" Kitty squeals and Red rolls his eyes.

"Kitty, don't encourage the boy. He's a man now with adult responsibilities, he has no other option but to be _grown up_ " Red replies.

"Oh hush you party pooper."

The foursome continues to catch up and for the very first time since she touched down on Point Place, Jackie can breathe easily and not have to think about Steven or Donna or any of the hurtful memories she has from that time in her life. She can focus on positive news and can share all the wonderful things going on in her life. She loves hearing about the adventures the Formans got into after all the kids finally left the basement.

"So when we finally did make it to Florida, Red met Ruben who was also a veteran and you wouldn't believe me if I told you how friendly Red was" Kitty says.

"I wasn't friendly, just respectful of a fellow vet" Red responds.

"Oh admit it Red Forman, you were friendly and actually had a good time making a new friend. You know, they go fishing once in a while too" Kitty shared and Red looked at her quickly as though she had just revealed a huge secret.

"What? You do" she states answering his stare and again, he rolls his eyes.

For over an hour, they bask in the stories and laughs they share.

After a while, Kitty gathers the cups and puts in the sink Eric and Red go to the living room and Jackie sits alone by the table.

"You know, I'm really glad you came Jackie. We all missed you a lot" Kitty starts.

Jackie smiles and says, "Thanks Mrs. Forman."

"I know it's not my place, but I hope you know he missed you too."

Jackie shakes her head from side to side, "please don't'. I really don't want to talk about Steven right now or what happened then."

"I understand, I'm sorry" Kitty says and goes back to washing dishes.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to go down to the basement to make a call."

"Sure sweetie. I can bake some cookies for us if you want."

"That would be great, thanks Mrs. Forman" Jackie says as she gets off the chair and walks across the kitchen to go

Jackie walks out of the kitchen into the living room where she sees Eric and Red silently watching television. There is no bickering between the two men, just a calm bonding and Jackie smiles because they were both finally able to settle into their relationship with each other. She walks as silently as possible behind them so as to not disturb and heads to the basement.

Once there, a true wave of nostalgia flows through her. It has been so long since she has stepped foot in the dingy room and even so, it is still exactly the same as she remembers it. The old couch and chairs are still in the exact place they have always been, the ottoman still sits in the middle and the outdated television has accumulated enough dust to make it clear how long it's been since anyone stepped foot into the sanctuary.

She walks around the couch and plops down hard enough for dust to suffocate her. She coughs and waves lingering dust from her face. She reaches over to the telephone next to her, one of the latest additions to the basement, put in a year or so before she left.

Dialing the familiar number feels strange for a moment, perhaps because she is finally mixing her two worlds together. It dawns on her, more so than usual, that the Jackie that saw a future here in Point Place with her husband is truly no more and this is her life now, almost completely removed from her childhood.

"Hello?" she says into the receiver.

"I miss you" is the response and immediately her heart melts and she smiles from ear to ear.

"You have no idea how much I miss you right now" she says to her boyfriend. It has only been a few days but it has been the longest they have been apart since they started dating and she already cannot wait to go back home to him and forget about everything related to Point Place or Steven.

"How is everything going down there?"

"Pretty much how I expected. Some hostility, really uncomfortable" she answers.

"Did you see him?"

"I did. That also went as expected. I told him about the lawyer."

"How did he take it?"

"I didn't really give him a chance to react, I left as soon as I told him. It's just been draining emotionally, especially with her. I feel like I'm stepping on her toes, which I know I shouldn't feel too bad about but it's not why I'm here. I didn't even want to come and the only reason I did is because Mrs. Forman asked me to."

"You're a good person Jackie, you're just doing what you have to do for the people you care about. Don't let someone else get the better of you because of how they feel about the situation. You're not the one who did something wrong, they did."

Jackie sighs and nods her head as though he can see her. "I know, but you know how I am. I didn't want to deal with any of this."

"You would have had to eventually. Not the best of circumstances but at least it's a step forward to you getting the closure you need from them."

"I guess you're right."

"Say that again" he says which makes her laugh. If there is one thing that has not changed about Jackie Burkhart, it is her inability to let other people be right.

"You're ruining it," she says jokingly.

"Just say it again, this once and I will never ask you again."

"I said I guess you're right" she whispers.

"You can't whisper it, it takes away from the satisfaction."

"You did say you wouldn't ask again, you have to honor your word."

He groans and she can just picture his face, eyes rolling, a tight smirk across his lips and his hand running through his messy hair.

"You know I love you right?" she says.

"That gets me through every day without you" he responds and in that moment, she loves him even more than she thought possible.

In that moment, she realizes that Eric was right, they had won and she had the best reward of all waiting for her to get back.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Author's Note: I got a writer's block which is why it took a while to update. Also, I will be on vacation for about two weeks and should have more free time to dedicate to writing this story. I have a better idea of where I want this story to go so updates should happen frequently from here on out. Enjoy this latest chapter!_**

 _Five years ago:_

Jackie had not been to Chicago since the infamous incident that happened between her and Steven that inevitably led him to run off to Vegas and marry a stripper. Now, returning to the same city as a newly single woman, she had a range of emotions that she could not place. Anger was of course the dominant one. How else would she feel after finding her husband and best friend sleeping together?

She also felt a slight sense of resentment. Here she was back in the city where she had initially ran to chase her dreams (which she eventually gave up to try to reconcile a relationship with someone who turned out to not be worth it.) Now, here she was again, but this time she was putting herself and her dreams first and no one was going to stand in the way of that.

Most of all, she felt an unexplainable sense of newness that could only be explained as this being the first time in her adult like in which she is truly by herself and able to figure out what she truly wants and what is good for her. She no longer has to think about what is best for her husband or her marriage. It's all about her and she likes that feeling.

She looks down at her watch and notices she has thirty minutes to get to her location. She grabs her purse from the table and takes one look around the hotel room before heading out.

"Would you be able to secure me a cab?" she asks the concierge in the lobby.

"Sure Miss. Where to?"

"Valois" she responds and he nods in response. She watches as the older man slowly lifts the receiver to his ear and calls for a taxi. She smiles and immediately thinks about Red Forman. It's been about a year since she left Point Place and even though she calls and speaks to the Formans frequently, she can't help but miss them.

"Your car will be outside in two minutes" the concierge responds.

"Thank you very much" she says and walks outside of the lobby to wait. As she waits, she admires the quick bustle of the city people going about their day. She always wondered where people were going in such a hurry. Even after leaving her small hometown, she has not yet picked up the speediness of their walk. Perhaps it's something that is acquired over time.

A small, yellow taxi pulls up and she quickly hops in. Twenty-five minutes.

"Valois?" the driver asks confirming their destination.

"Yes, thank you."

"Mhm" is his response and for the next fifteen minutes, they ride in silence. She takes the opportunity to take in the skyline and appreciate how beautiful concrete can look when it's filled with live. Everyone seems to have a purpose and fit into some puzzle they were not aware of. She can't help but be excited to fit into such a puzzle one day instead of seeing it through a small towner's perspective.

A short time later she arrives to her destination and smiles when she thanks the taxi driver and he just nods. Inside, the restaurant is a bit slower pace than its outer counterpart and she scans the room, taking in all the intimate conversations and the amazing aroma of food. It doesn't take long to spot her lunch dates and once they spot her also, she waves and makes her way over to them.

It's been a little over a year since she last saw Eric Forman. Last time she did, they had both been married and happy, at least to the outside world. They, however, were a little more aware of what was going on behind the facade their respective spouses had put up. Now, here they were, sitting across each other, he with his new partner and she happy with her new career.

"It's so nice to see you" Jackie says as she joins the couple.

They quickly get through formalities, introductions, catching up and it all feels natural. Neither brings up the hurtful histories involving their exes or what the future of those relationships look like. They focus on everything that is going on with them at the moment.

"I did go on a date, he seems like a nice enough guy and we're supposed to meet up again for drinks soon" Jackie shares. She loves that Eric doesn't judge her for dating while still technically married. In fact, he encourages her to seek out a new happiness and even asks questions about this potential new fling. His girlfriend Brittany also seems interested. No doubt she is aware of all that has happened but also does not bring it up. Her light, airy voice is soothing and Jackie can't help but to take an instant liking to her.

"Have you gone back?" Eric asks Jackie after they've caught up with each other's lives?"

Jackie shifts a bit in her seat and shakes her head from side to side. The thought of going back to Point Place had not occurred to her in some time. There was nothing to go back to anymore. "Have you?" she asks him.

Eric nods and takes a quick sip of his drink. Jackie looks over at Brittany next to him and seems her smile falter a bit.

"We decided to drive in for a day so Brittany could meet mom" he responds.

"Oh you met Mrs. Forman? She's great isn't she?" Jackie asks Brittany.

"She is lovely. Eric's wife, however, not so much" Brittany replies and Jackie can now understand the shift in mood.

"You met Donna?"

"I wouldn't say met per se, more like I sat there as she berated me for dating a married man" Brittany answers.

Jackie can't help but laugh at the sheer hypocrisy of her former friend. "Unbelievable" Jackie says and Eric lifts his glass to her.

"Let's not dwell too much about it" he says and the two ladies nod in a silent agreement.

"So, tell us more about this new guy" Brittany says and immediately gets Jackie gushing. Eric sits back, a smile across his face, and watches the bubbly Jackie he once knew reappear once again.

He was certain that, despite what they've been through, they were going to be alright.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: I apologize for the delay (I feel like the queen of excuses) but it's been an insane past few weeks. A student of mine passed away tragically and those of us in the school have been taking it pretty hard. Took some time to care for our other students dealing with it and then some more time for self-care before starting the new academic year. I'm hoping the next few weeks are a lot lighter than the past few and allow me more time to update (oh did I mention I start school back up again?) I promise to try my best to update more frequently.**

 _Present day:_

The following morning Jackie woke up before her alarm went off and she looks at the clock by her bedside table; 6:42 AM. She groans and rolls her eyes. She is so accustomed to waking up early for work that her body no longer lets her sleep in. She lays in bed for a bit, looking up at the uneven ceiling, dreading having to go back to the hospital and play wife to a man she has no desire of seeing or seeing a former best friend she has even less desire of interacting with. Her plan for coming back had been to play nice, arrange everything she had to in order to put Steven Hyde behind her and go back home to her loving boyfriend. That has unfortunately proven difficult to do with Donna constantly in her face and Hyde not being released as quickly as she thought he would.

If it were not for the Formans, she could have done everything she had to from home. However, it is damn hard to say no to Kitty Forman when she pulls out the tears and the guilt trip about how much she did for all of them when they were kids. _"I made you peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crusts cut off….Remember the hot cocoa I made during the winter whenever you kids were cold?...Remember when I…."_ and the never ending other things she did for them were thrown back in Jackie's face and she just had no other choice but to come back to her childhood town.

Now, she not only has to put up with her disloyal former best friend, but also has to be in contact with the man she has been avoiding for the past few years. She cannot deny that seeing Hyde after such a long time really shook her up. The whole way back to Point Place and every second until she finally saw him, she had gone over what she would say to him in her head. She wanted to be angry and yell at him, but then it would be better if she appeared cool and collected so he could see how well she was doing without him. She could rub her new amazing relationship in his face, but then again she didn't want to taint it by using it as ammunition against someone who no longer deserved it. Ultimately, she didn't want Steven Hyde to think he still had any hold over her.

Seeing Donna had not been as hard as she'd expected, if only because she knew that nothing bothered Donna more than seeing someone who got out of Point Place and achieved their dream, something she still hadn't done. Jackie knew all she had to do was make sure Donna knew that she was happy in her career and was in a loving relationship in a city where the ceiling was much higher, and the resentment would eat away at her. It had been too easy, all Jackie had to do was pull her former inner cheerleader and she knew she could break Donna. Add to that the fact that Jackie was the one who made all medical decisions for Hyde as his legal wife and Jackie didn't need any more ammunition against the redhead.

Jackie rolls out of bed and walks over to the kitchen where she starts brewing her morning coffee. She then walks over to the small living room and flips on the television to try and catch anything interesting, but of course to no avail. What could possibly be interesting in Point Place, especially at seven in the morning? She walks away, leaving the t.v on for background noise and decides to call the Formans. Usually she would not dare call anyone this early in the morning, but she knew Red went into work early and Kitty woke up even earlier to prepare him breakfast. It didn't take long for someone to answer on the other line.

"Hello?" answered the groggy male voice.

"Eric?" Jackie responds surprised that the younger Forman is up this early.

"Hey Jackie what's going on?" he says.

"Eric, you're awake."

"So it seems" he says.

"Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine, just couldn't sleep. Figured I'd get up and keep mom some company after dad went to work. What's going on with you? Is everything alright?"

"Oh yes, everything's fine. I was just calling to see if Mrs. Forman was going to the hospital today."

"She's covering a shift later so I think she's just going to wait to go in. I told her I'd stop by before five, just to check in. Want to come?"

"Not particularly but I figure it's the right thing to do" Jackie responds.

"I guess it is. I was thinking of grabbing lunch later today, around two. Do you want to join me?"

"Eric Forman inviting me to lunch? What is going on in the world?" Jackie says jokingly.

"Trust me, I just surprised my self" he laughs.

"I guess we are living in a very parallel universe."

"Have been for the past few years now haven't we?"

"We really have. Meet you at your house? I can be there by 1:30 PM."

"Sounds like a plan. See you then Jackie."

"Bye Eric."

Jackie walks over to the coffee pot and pours herself a cup. She sweetens it and takes a seat on a nearby stool. Who would have thought, eight years ago, that she and Eric would be out having lunch alone? Despite him having been her ex's best friend and both being in the same group of friends for years, it was not until the demise of their marriages that they truly started to bond. She remembered being mad at Eric at first because he confided that he suspected something going on between Donna and Hyde. She, having been completely blindsided, would have liked some heads up. Then, eventually, as they both spoke of their shared hurt and anger, they developed a quasi friendship and they would keep in contact with each other over the years. Now, being back and facing the people who hurt them, their bond has strengthened.

She glances quickly to the clock and sees that it's almost 7:30 and decides to try her boyfriend and see if he's up and getting ready for work. The phone rings a couple of times and just as she's about to hang up, she hears the click and then his voice.

"Hello?"

Instantly, she smiles and her heart swells. Just the sound of his voice, deep and raspy in the morning, is enough to soothe her. "Hey babe, it's me," she answers.

"Hi, I miss you" he tells her immediately and her eyes start to swell with tears. Those three simple words shouldn't make her cry but they do. Just knowing that she means something to him and that he cares enough for her to let her know that he notices her absence makes her emotional. It also makes her notice how overwhelming this whole situation is. All she wants at this very moment is to be far away from the place and the people that have caused her so much pain over the course of her life. She just wants to be with the one person who has made her feel loved despite her flaws, which if you ask her are very few.

After leaving behind one very toxic relationship and friendship behind, she did not think she would be able to find love again. It took her just three years to meet this man who was able to accept her heartbreak and trust issues and didn't run away from her every time she broke down or accused him of doing something he wasn't doing all because of her own insecurities. He accepted her family issues, her relationship issues, and her issues with trusting friends and opening up to more people who could potentially hurt her. So many times, he would sit silently and let her explode at him only to turn around, grab her hand and tell her how much he loved her. That kind of love was one Jackie would only have been able to appreciate after all she went through and because of that one thing, she has been able to accept the things she's been through and, to a degree, be thankful for them. All the betrayal and heartbreak she has experiences, has led her to him and have allowed her to open herself up fully to this man who just wanted to share his life with her.

"I miss you too. You have no idea how much I miss you" she replies.

"Are you alright?" he asks, picking up the muffle in her voice from the tears.

"I am now that I'm talking to you. I'm just a little overwhelmed with everything that's going on."

"It's okay to be overwhelmed, it's not an easy situation to be in, but you're strong babe. You're the strongest person I've met and you can do this. You also don't have to do it alone. I'm always here for you, just a phone call away when you need me."

"I know, I just wish you were here," she says.

"I could be. You just say the word and I'm on the next flight out to Wisconsin."

"What about your job?" she asks, hoping that he could actually be with her in Wisconsin, helping her deal with everything.

"I can talk to Gerald and take my days. I'm sure he wouldn't mind letting me work from home" he replies.

"So you'd be here, in Wisconsin, with me?"

"If you want."

"I want" Jackie says excitedly.

"Okay, so I'll see you soon beautiful."

"I can't wait!" she cheers and, in that moment, her time in Point Place no longer feels as suffocating.


	10. Chapter 10

_Nine years ago:_

"Man I can't believe Jackie finally tied you down man. Who would have thought I would be the only single one?"

"Everyone knew that Kelso" Hyde says to his friend. "Also, Fez is probably one stupid comment away from being single. His girlfriend always seems a little annoyed with him."

"Well when she does, daddy Kelso will be right here to catch her," Kelso says nudging Hyde.

"Glad to see some things just don't change" Hyde responds.

He looks around the dimly lit room and sighs. He doesn't even want to start thinking how much this whole thing cost. Even if they were able to cut down costs with him catering, there were so many unnecessary decorations and flowers that it couldn't have been as cheap as he was told. He spots his fiancé across the room twirling to show off her poofy white dress.

Things between them had been rocky the last few weeks as wedding preparations were underway. Many things she thought were important he thought we menial and that would annoy her. Inevitably, they would argue about every little, meaningless, detail.

 _What color should the tablecloths be?_

 _DJ or band or both?_

 _A budget…no budget…unspoken budget._

She would get annoyed when he voiced his opinions and they didn't match her vision, but also get mad when he told her to choose whatever she wanted.

" _This is your wedding too Steven, you could be a little more vocal about what you want."_

He knew Jackie would be a bridezilla, there was never any doubt about that, but he hadn't expected it to be this exhausting. He had no problems letting her plan the whole thing and have the wedding of her dreams; after all, she had been planning this day since she was a little girl. That wasn't enough for her though. He had to be on board, but only if it meant agreeing with her on everything, and that was something Steven Hyde had a problem doing.

"Why change perfection?" Kelso retorts.

Hyde nods his head and scans the room. He spots Fez and his lady over by the bar, he talking animatedly and she simply nodding her head and sipping her drink. For a brief second, she makes eye contact with Hyde, tips her glass in his direction and he nods.

A few feet from them he sees Donna making conversation with a woman Hyde didn't recognize and not too far from her was Eric, talking to Kitty and Red. The older man seemed less interested in the conversation, as was evident by his constant eye rolls and disapproving looks towards his son in between swigs of beer. Hyde smiles and can't help but see himself in Red Forman, only a more degenerate version of the man.

"How's Betsy doing?" Hyde asks.

"Oh man, she's so big! I knew she would get big eventually but man did she grow up fast. It's like I woke up one day and BAM" Kelso says with an upward springing movement.

"I hear they grow up fast" Hyde says and immediately thinks about the involuntary conversations he's had with Mrs. Forman about future babies and how he will have to cherish every moment he has with them as babies because it's gone in the blink of an eye. Of course, these conversations always got derailed when she started talking about her own selfish, inconsiderate children who just left her to create their own lives and he would usually walk away slowly but nonetheless, the point was that kids grew up fast.

"I tried convincing Brooke to have another one with me but she said her husband wouldn't be too thrilled with that idea so here I am" Kelso says and

"That does seem to complicate things one bit" Hyde says nodding his head.

"Man, isn't it weird that a few years I was the one who had proposed to Jackie? Sure she turned me down but now we've both proposed to her" Kelso says.

Hyde turns to scowl at his friend and rolls his eyes. He's tried to suppress any memories involving his friend and his fiancé after the way things went down between them in the past. Kelso proposing to Jackie was towards the top of his list of things to never bring up. He remembers how his heart almost burst out of his chest as they all waited for her response and not being able to do anything because Sam was standing right next to him. He also remembers the argument he had with Sam that night about the deep sigh he let out when she said no, which according to Sam meant he still cared about Jackie.

Not getting the hint, Kelso continues, "Seriously think about it, had she said yes, I could be Mr. Jackie Burkhart and this could be our engagement party."

"Kelso, I swear if you don't shut up-" says and feels his fists tightening. Even after all these years, the thought of Kelso and Jackie together still triggers him.

He looks over to her once again and, as always, is enticed by how captivating her energy is. Even just standing there, she dominates the space. He can't believe that after all they've been through and all the mistakes they've made throughout their relationship, they finally made it to this point. In just a few weeks, he'll be waiting for her at the altar and starting their lives together. A few years ago, he would have never thought they'd get here.

"Hey, I'm just trying to find a way to liven this place up man."

"Having me pulverize you in the middle of my engagement party is not the best way to liven this up" Hyde states.

Jackie turns and looks at him and smiles when their eyes meet. She quickly goes back to her conversation but in that quick, nonverbal interaction, Hyde senses how solid they really are. It assures him that despite their history, despite his apprehensions with Kelso and all the obstacles they've faced, this is what was meant to happen. In order to get to his point, they had go through everything they did and now, they could finally begin their fairy tale, just like she'd always wanted. Like he'd always wanted.

"So, are you sure you're ready to be with the same chick for the rest of your life? "

Hyde looks at Kelso and then back and Jackie. He nods his head slowly. "I'm sure."


	11. Chapter 11

_Present day:_

Later that afternoon, Jackie heads over to the hospital at the request of Mrs. Forman. Despite having little desire to spend her afternoon seeing Donna's face, especially after their last encounter, she can't bring herself to say no to the woman who was basically her mother growing up. Also, until she can find someone to draw up divorce papers, she still has to show her face in case anything went wrong. On this visit, however, she made sure to look her very best, just to further push Donna's buttons.

Strolling into the hospital waiting room in tight fitting jeans and immaculate makeup might have seen like too much, but she has a mission not just to annoy Donna, but to show Steven Hyde what he missed out on when he made the worse mistake of his life. Once there, she immediate spots the Formans and Donna talking to the doctor. The clicking of her heels turned a few heads, Donna's including, and immediately her former friend made a disgruntled face and rolled her eyes before turning back to look at the doctor. Jackie reachers the group and softly places her hand on Mrs. Forman's shoulder. The older woman makes eye contact with her and smiles and Red nods his head in acknowledgment.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Hyde" the doctor greets her and Jackie smiles. She doesn't have to look at Donna to know that she shuddered at this.

"Nice to see you again Doctor. How is my husband doing?" Just going to keep adding salt to the wound.

"As I was telling your family, I am very happy with the progress I have seen. All of our tests have shown that there is no trauma and he is lucid and responsive. I want to run a last series of blood tests but he can be discharged this evening pending those results."

"Oh that's great news, thank you so much" Jackie says trying to sound more excited than she actually is. She wouldn't admit it but, having Steven in the hospital and having leverage over Donna gave her a satisfaction that is almost shaming. Sure she wanted him to be discharged and is glad to hear he's doing well, but that also meant he would be going home with Donna and they would go back to the life they built despite her marriage.

She knows she should be happy though, it means that she has to spend less time in this town and can finally start the process of divorcing Hyde so she can move on with her life and move forward with her own relationship. Yet, it will also force her to start processing the end of an era for her. Sure she and Hyde have been done for quite some time, but actually going through the divorce means that a huge part of her life, a part that had once been her biggest dream, would officially be over and she would have to come to terms with that.

"Would you like to see him?"

"Huh?" Jackie asks, being taken out of her daze.

"Your husband, would you like to see him?" the doctor asks once more.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, he probably needs to rest" Donna interjects and Jackie looks to her now. Donna's face is harsh, almost daring Jackie to say yes. This makes Jackie smirk and turn back to the doctor.

"I would love to see him" she responds and just as Donna was getting ready to object, the two walk away towards Hyde's room.

Before they can enter the room, a nurse walks up to the doctor and shows him a chart. The doctor analyzes it and nods his head.

"Let's run the tests one more time, but everything looks alright. This is Mrs. Hyde" he introduces Jackie.

"Oh it's so nice to finally meet you, your husband will not shut up about you, and I can see why, you're lovely."

"Oh, you might be talking about Donna" Jackie responds, feeling herself getting inexplicably angry. Has Hyde been referring to Donna as his wife to the nurses?

"Donna? No, I don't think he's mentioned that name before. It was very nice to meet you though Mrs. Hyde" the nurse replies before walking away.

Could he possibly be talking about her? Why would he mention her to the nurses, it's not like they were on good terms.

The doctor knocks lightly on the door and ushers her in. She sees a nurse drawing blood and Hyde, sunglasses on, looks annoyed until he notices that he has company. Instantly, he brings his free hand to his face and takes the glasses off. Jackie holds her breath and mentally kicks herself for being so mesmerized by his eyes. Something about staring into them lowered any inhibition she has and makes her feel vulnerable, like her can read her innermost thoughts. She quickly looks away and scans the room. Flowers, balloons, teddy bears...everything that contradicts his very being scattered around the room. It reminded her of the time she redecorated his room. Perhaps he secretly loves all of this, why should she care.

"All done" says the nurse and turns to the doctor. "Are there any other tests we should run doctor?" she asks.

"No, let's just take these to the lab and pending the results, Mr. Hyde should be able to get discharged by morning." The nurse nods and the doctor excuses the two of them leaving Jackie alone with Hyde for the second time in years.

Neither speak right away and Jackie continues scanning the room but can feel his eyes on her. She walks over to a bouquet of flowers by the window and takes a moment to smell them. She then notices a card and without thinking opens it and instantly regrets it.

 _I can't wait to show you how much I love you. -Donna_

"Jackie" he says.

She feels her chest tightening after reading the message. A flash of what his life with Donna looks like makes its way through her mind and she sees them sitting on a couch together drinking coffee, buying groceries, dancing, laughing, making love. Everything they should have had.

"Jackie" he says again and she turns to look at him.

How can he still have this effect on her? After so many years and being in such a happy relationship, all it takes is one look from him and hearing her name in his voice. She can't possibly be stupid enough to still love him, not after everything.

"Come sit" he says pointing at a chair next to his bed. She shakes her head from side to side.

"Please" he begs, his voice soft and comforting.

She clenches her jaw and slowly walks over. She takes a seat and realizes this is the closest they've been since she left.

"I didn't think you'd come back" he says.

"I wasn't going to. Mrs. Forman asked me to come" she responds, trying her best to sound indifferent.

"I'm glad you did."

"Oh yeah? Why is that?"

"Because there are things I want to say to you and I'm hoping you'll give me a chance to."

Jackie shakes her head again and looks down at her lap. She could continue pretending not to care, make things harder for him. He does deserve it after all. Then again, part of her does want to hear what he has to say but, what would that change? He would apologize, tell her he regrets it but at the end of the day, what's done is done. He destroyed their marriage and broke her heart. Why revisit things now when she was finally moving forward with divorce proceedings?

"Please Jackie. You don't have to say anything, just listen."

"That's not a good idea Hyde" she replies and looks back up at him.

"Don't do that" he says.

"Do what?"

"Call me that."

"That's your name."

"Not to you, I've never been Hyde to you."

She bites her bottom lip and looks away from him for a second and then remembers the card Donna wrote for the bouquet of flowers. "You became Hyde to me" she responds and looks back at him.

He silently nods his head and maintains eye contact with her. This time, however, she wasn't looking away. If there was any chance he could actually sense what she was feeling, she wanted him to. She wanted him to know all he pain he caused her, wanted him to feel it too. Every tear, sleepless night, every wall she put up because of him...she wants him to know what he did.

"Please" he begs again.

"Just say what you have to say so we can finally move on" she finally says.

"Eric told me you're in a relationship" he says.

"We're not going to discuss my personal life" she says defensively.

"No, sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"What is it Hyde? Let's just get this over with." She crosses her arms across her chest and furrows her forehead. How dare he bring up her relationship? He has no right.

"Okay, sorry again. I really didn't mean to get up upset."

"That's a first."

Not wanting to start an argument, Hyde ignores the comment. "I know apologizing doesn't change anything or makes things better, but I really am sorry for what I did. I should have known better. I was impulsive and stupid and I was angry and did the worst thing I could have done. You may not believe me but I suffer for it every single day. I regret what I did every day and I think about you and miss you...miss us-"

"Stop" she whispers

"I love you Jackie, I'm in love with you and that's never going to change. I messed up the best thing in my life and all these years later I still hate myself for it-"

"Stop" she says again, louder and she gets up and walks across the room.

"Jackie I love you."

"Just stop! You love me? You love me? What a joke. Did you love me when you were laying in bed with my best friend? Did you love me every time you were inside of her? What kind of sick definition of love do you have because it's not right. That's not love. You don't hurt the people you love."

"I know that. You don't think I know how badly I fucked up? I live with that every fucking day. Every day I have to wake up with the reminder of what I did. You think that's easy?"

"Oh you mean to say your life is hard because you have to wake up next to the woman you fucked while being married to me? Let me pretend to feel bad for you. You have no idea what it was like for me, coming home and finding the two of you in bed, _our bed,_ together. My gosh, you have no fucking idea. I trusted you, you were supposed to be the person who protected me and instead you destroyed me. I can never forgive you for that."

"Jackie...Jackie I would spend the rest of my life, do anything you want to just make up for what I did. I'm sorry. I know it doesn't mean anything but I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"You're right, it doesn't mean anything. Nothing you say or do will mean anything because what you did is unforgivable" she says and looks away.

"Jackie look at me" he says. She sighs and turns slowly again.

"You and I, we're soulmates. I know how stupid that sounds but we're meant to be together, nothing else, no one else makes sense."

"Soulmates? I used to think that too" she responds.

"Jackie. I love you" he says loudly, wanting nothing more than for her to believe him.

"Hyde?"

They both turn towards the door and see Donna, eyes wide, tears running down her face.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: Here is the latest installment! I'm anticipating to have this story wrapped up in 4-5 more chapters and am hoping to have it complete by November 10** **th** **, which is my tenth anniversary here on FF. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.  
**

 _7 years ago:_

Eric stares blankly at the television in his parent's basement. He is thankful to be alone for the first time in a while. There is no one asking him questions, questioning any of his decisions as of late or burdening with opinions he certainly did not ask for. For the last few months, he has done nothing by cringe every time someone gives him unsolicited advice about his marriage, his job, and his house…anything really. For most of his life, he has been the stringy Forman boy who was lucky to have scored a hot girlfriend, had the hard ass dad and the mom who was welcoming, especially when she's had a few cocktails.

He thinks about the last couple of years. After many years, he finally got around to marrying Donna and for the first couple of years they were happy. However, year four had proven to be tough for them. Perhaps he had expected more, at least more happiness. They were still somehow struggling to get through the day without an argument. Whether it was the dishes not getting done, he not eating the food that she made (which lets be honest, no one would blame him), or the tight financial circumstances they found themselves in, there was always something he did wrong in her eyes.

Sitting there, he tries to recall the last time they were truly happy. It must have been about five months prior, when they celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary. As per their tradition, it was Donna's year to plan the evening. In true Donna fashion, she recreated their first date, terrible disco music and all. They laughed and danced and enjoyed cheap beer huddled under blankets trying to shield themselves from the cold winter breeze. He had considered himself as lucky as he always had when they were teenagers.

Fast forward a few months later and the arguments never seized. The most frequent argument became starting a family. Despite having a tough time having extra money after paying their monthly bills, Donna was adamant that they should expand their families and have kids. There was no doubt in her mind that they were ready or that they would make great parents. He, however, was not as sure. As the years passed, he wanted to put some money aside to help take care of his parents. He knew that even with his father's veteran pension and his mother's retirement fund, it would not be enough for them to be comfortable and no one knew where Laurie was so he would basically care for them on his own. He also wanted to wait and save up to purchase a house before starting a family. He wanted his kids to have the same opportunities he had, and that included having a backyard to play in, not a cramped cement room.

As rational as he thought he was being, Donna did not want to hear any of it.

"Why can't we just have kids? We can figure everything else out along the way."

"No one is ever fully ready to have kids."

"Why are you denying me being a mother?"

On and on she picked fights with him and went as far as refusing to take her birth control pills. When he substituted them with condoms, all hell ensued and he had to stay in his parent's home for several days.

The progressive decline of their relationship only led him to spend less time at home. Any time his boss asked for volunteers to sell goods in different cities throughout Wisconsin, Eric was the first to volunteer. It didn't matter how far or how long he would be gone, he just needed to get out. He needed to not feel so suffocated all the time.

He did such a good job at hiding his unhappiness from the others though. His parents did not suspect that his marriage was hanging by a thread and his friends were so consumed by their own complicated relationships that they paid his no mind. The only two people who had any idea were the two people who were drowning and he couldn't help but wonder how long Donna would stay on the sinking ship.

The door to the basement suddenly opens and Kitty walks inside.

"Eric?" she says surprised at the unexpected presence.

"Hi mom" he responds.

"Sweetie, what are you doing here? Donna called worried sick, said you just took off and she hadn't heard from you. We were worried sick."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."

"Eric, what's going on?" Kitty asks and walks over to the spot on the couch next to him.

"It's nothing, just needed some time alone."

"Is everything alright with you and Donna?"

"Everything is fine mom."

"If something's wrong, you know you can tell me" she continues.

"Nothing's wrong mom, don't worry. I just needed to spend some time alone and just think. What else did Donna say?"

"Just that she was going to stop and see Steven at work and if you called, to phone her there."

Eric nods and turns to look around the basement. There were so many happy memories of him and Donna in every possible corner of this room. They grew up together, fell in love with each other. Hell, they planned their future on this very couch. 

Kitty rises from her seat and gently caresses the back of Eric's head. "Eric, I know the first few years of marriage can be trying, but once you get over the hump, there is nothing better than knowing you're going to spend your life with your best friend. You and Donna will be okay."

Again, Eric just nods and watches as his mother walks up the stairs and he is left alone once again. She was right. He knew she was right. This could be their tough period and if they could manage to pull through, they would be able to look back at this time and treasure the strength of their relationship.

In that moment, he knew he would have to put his apprehensions aside and trust that he and Donna would make it. He stood up from the couch and grabbed his jacket.

On his drive to Grooves, he felt a bit lighter, more hopeful and optimistic. He was ready to apologize to his wife for being distant and wanted to reassure her that he would make a bigger effort to be the man she married. Once parked outside his best friend's store, he took a deep breath and was excited, for the first time in a while, to see his wife.

His excitement, however, quickly dissipates when he sees his wife straddling and kissing his best friend.


	13. Chapter 13

_Present Day:_

Jackie stands frozen in her spot and her heartbeat increases rapidly. She can not look away from Donna who can't stop saying Hyde's name over and over. She feels as though her senses are giving up on her and she can barely see Donna standing by the door and her voice is muffled. From the corner of her eyes, she can see Hyde getting off the bed and walking over to Donna. Once he gets close enough to touch her, Donna slaps his arm away and Jackie can see her yelling, but can't make out what is being said.

It seems like she's standing there for hours before she hears her name and sees Donna walking over to her. Immediately, she comes to and takes a step back.

"This is what you wanted right? You came here with this exact intention" Donna yells getting closer than Jackie feels comfortable with. Jackie looks over Donna's shoulder and sees Hyde struggling to cross the room and get closer to them.

"You shouldn't even be here. You're no longer a part of our life, you just came to fuck everything up..." and again Jackie stops listening. It's as though those last few words trigger her and she can't bring herself to comprehend what is happening. She is the one fucking everything up? Is she in the twilight zone? Donna can't possibly think that she's the victim in this situation.

"Donna, stop" she hears Hyde say and again, she comes to. Now he's standing right behind Donna, gently pulling on her arm trying to distance her from Jackie.

"You're unbelievable. You sure showed me huh? That's what you wanted wasn't it? To punish me for what happened all those years ago?"

"Donna stop" she hears Hyde saying again. Donna, however, does not stop. All Jackie can do is stand there frozen, being berated by her former best friend about something she did not ask for. Sure she came here wanting Hyde to see what he was missing and to punish them both for what they did to her, but she never would have imagined for Hyde to actually profess his love for her or say any of the things he said. To say she was taken aback was an understatement and she barely had time to process what he was saying before Donna came barging in and started yelling.

"This isn't her fault Donna" Hyde says and tries to get in between the two women.

"Don't defend her. Don't you dare defend her. I can't believe I fell for it all this time. I should have known you still had feelings for her. I knew that the moment she walked through those doors, you would do this. I knew it."

"I know you're upset, but let's just sit down and talk about it. This is between you and me, Jackie has nothing to do with this."

"Like hell she doesn't. You think her being dressed like this is a coincidence? You came here with one goal and that was to fuck up with Hyde and I have isn't that right Jackie?"

Jackie looks at Hyde and then back at Donna. Without hesitation, she laughs. This laugh, this hearty and loud laugh, is one she can't control. The other two occupants in the room look at her in silence, a look of sheer confusion on their face.

"What the hell is so funny?" Donna finally asks.

Jackie, however, can't stop laughing. It doesn't hep that she looks up and sees how red Donna's face is from the sheer anger. In fact, this causes her to laugh even harder.

"Jackie" Hyde whispers, worried that he finally managed to break the poor girl.

With tears rolling down her face from laughing so hard, Jackie finally tries to gain her composure and after a moment manages to stop from laughing.

"What the hell is so funny?" Donna inquires.

"You really have so nerve getting upset and accusing me of coming here to fuck things up for you after what you did. Did I come here to punish you? Absolutely because it's exactly what you both deserve and please don't think for one second that I'm feeling bad for you. So do yourself a favor and save the tears and the accusations because I don't care and, from what I hear, Hyde doesn't seem to care too much either."

"Oh go fuck yourself Jackie. You think you're so much better than us. Yeah we screwed up but we fell in love and sure we could have gone about it differently, but it happened and it's been years so let it go" Donna says.

"Trust me, I don't lose any sleep over it. The only reason I'm here is because Mrs. Forman asked me to be and to start divorce proceedings so I can finally be done with all this crap. If I were you, however, I would be directing all that anger towards you boyfriend who's the one professing his love to someone else. So if anyone should let it go, it's him, not me" Jackie says and starts to walk towards the door before Hyde calls out to her.

"Jackie, wait" he says and it makes Jackie turn around, if only to see how Donna reacts to this.

"What the hell Hyde" the other girl says.

Hyde walks over to Jackie, his hospital gown flowing clumsily over his body. "I want us to talk. Not at this moment, but before you go back to your life."

"That's not a good idea" Jackie says.

"And it's not going to happen" Donna says from her spot in the room. Jackie just smirks and shakes her head.

"Please."

"Good bye Hyde" Jackie says and walks out of the room. From outside the room she can hear Donna yelling and knows that she has started crying again. Part of her thinks she should feel a little bad for the girl. She has, after all, had some experience knowing the person she loves is in love with someone else. But she doesn't. No parts of her has any empathy towards Donna and she wasn't going to feel bad about not feeling bad.

 _The next day:_

Jackie puts the car in park and collects her purse from the passenger seat. Once she steps out of the car, she looks up just as an airplane flies overhead, ready to take passengers on an adventure. She smiles at the wonderful possibilities that come with traveling and is thankful for having had the opportunity to start an adventure of her own. She walks quickly towards the airport, glancing down at her watch to make sure she is on time.

Within minutes, she is waiting outside the exit of gate 8, awaiting for the passengers of flight 803 to come out. Not much time passes when she spots the familiar face. Her smile broadens and she finds herself pushing past people. Instantly, she is throwing her arms around a strong neck and is being lifted off the ground and being showered with kisses.

"I'm so glad you're here" she says once her feet touch the ground again. She takes a second to look at him and realizes just how much she'd really miss him.

"I'm glad I'm here too. Let's agree not to be apart that long again" he says and smiles.

"That's a great agreement" she says, "how was your flight?"

"Not too bad, slept for most of it" he says grabbing his luggage from the floor where they had fallen when he picked her up.

Jackie bends down a bit to grab a bag but he stops her. "I got it babe" he says and she smiles.

Jackie leads him over to the car and he puts the luggage in the back seat. "Do you want me to drive?" he asks and she immediately shakes her head.

"No, you just got off a flight. Sit, get comfortable and take in the views of Wisconsin" she says and he laughs.

"I can't wait to see how scenic the midwest is" he responds.

"Oh, you're in for a wild ride" she says and puts the car in drive.

Less than a half hour later they enter her apartment and she immediately grabs his hand and leads him to the couch. There, she pushes him down and straddles him, placing kisses throughout his face. His hands caress the curves of her body and squeeze her bottom a few times. She kisses his lips and smiles against them. "I love you" she whispers and kisses him.

"I love you too babe" he responds breaking the kiss and looking into her eyes. For a very long time, she has not experienced intimacy quite like this. Just looking into his eyes makes her heart flutter and her skin heat up. Just one look is enough to make her feel safe, happy, protected...all the things she had felt only once before. This time, however, she cherished every second with this man who was able to put her back together despite how difficult she must have been to love when they met.

"I feel that" she says softly.

"You feel my love?" he says with a small smile.

"Every second I'm with you, I feel your love" she says and her eyes start swelling with tears at the sheer joy she feels in that moment, with this person.

He moves his hands up towards her face and gently caresses her moist cheeks. "Good, because it's always there" he says and pulls her lips to his.

As their kiss deepens, Jackie takes a deep breath and all the stress and hostility from her time here disappears and she forgets all about ex-husbands, former friends and divorces. All that matters, in this very moment, is this man who owns her heart and makes her whole again. 

**Author's Note: Hope you've enjoyed this new chapter! I've decided that there will be just 3 chapters left and I am aiming at having this story finished by November 10th (my 10th anniversary here on ff) so expect some updates very soon!**


	14. Chapter 14

_Six years ago-_

Jackie taps at the wheel of her car obsessively, mad at herself for underestimating the amount of traffic during this time. She glances at the clock on the dashboard and silently curses to herself for being late yet again. At this point, she has lost count of the times she hasn't shown up on time and each time, the disappointment on her face crushes her. At this point, she does not bother apologizing because it no longer means anything. All she pictures is the look on his face and his grumbles as she tries to make it up to him for being tardy. All she had wanted was to surprise him by the time he got home from work, but this traffic will not allow that.

The last few months have been the most difficult in their marriage as distance has taken a toll. Her busy schedule paired with his running the store has disallowed them from seeing each other as frequently as before and their once long phone conversations at night have dwindled to nothing more than a a ten minute catch up.

 _"How was your day?"_

 _"Fine, how was yours?"_

 _"Not bad, busy. When will you be back?"_

 _"I'm not sure, things around her have gotten so hectic it's hard to get time off..."_

It has now been over a month since they last saw each other. She had been hoping that he'd be more excited when she told him she was able to get a few days off, but his enthusiasm was almost nonexistent. Her heart dropped when he rushed her off the phone and in that moment, every insecurity she once had about their relationship and ability to make it came rushing back. She was, once again, the little girl who wanted so desperately a future with a man who wasn't sure it was what he wanted. Except this time, that man was her husband and if they couldn't figure things out, they would quickly be heading towards divorce.

Just under an hour later, she pulls up to their building complex and parks in one of their designated spots. She smiles when she sees his car there and is thankful he waited for her. He had bought that car just a few months after they got married, having traded his beloved El Camino for a car that was, as he put it, "family friendly." She can recall the butterflies in her stomach when those words escaped his lips, without coercion. Finally, he envisioned their future together and it included kids. This car, so unlike anything she would have thought he would buy, was the representation of all that was to come for them.

She quickly gets out of the car and makes a dash up the stairs towards their apartment. How far they have come and how much they have overcome and grown together. Though things have been a bit rocky between them, she knew they could pull through because of everything that they've managed to work through. After Eric and Donna's separation just a few months prior, she had her doubts. If those two couldn't make it, who could? Having had countless phone conversations with Donna about Eric leaving because he was unhappy and wasn't ready to have kids, she tried harder than ever before to make her marriage work because she couldn't fathom her life with her husband. She had lived without him once, she was not ready to do it again.

Pulling her keys out of her purse, she was ready to make it up to him, ready to show him how much he means to her and that their love was her main priority.

Opening the door, she inhales the sweet smell of their home. She admires all the little details, carefully thought out by her, to make this place their own haven. She had wanted this place to be perfect for them because, in actuality, it was their first real home.

As she places her belonging down on the couch, she hears a muffled sound coming from the back bedroom and she smiles, her heart skipping a beat at the mere thought of seeing him again. This is the longest they have been separated and she can't wait to be in his arms again, feeling his lips on her and telling him how much she loves him. Walking towards the room, however, her happiness begins to subside as she realizes he is not alone. Irrational thoughts quickly fill her mind and she tries to push them aside, telling herself that it's not what she thinks.

He wouldn't do anything to betray her, not again. It's not what she thinks.

Pushing ajar the door to their bedroom, she realizes it's not at all what she thinks...

It's worse.

 **Author's Note:** _This chapter is shorter than the others, and I do apologize for that,_ _particularly because it took so long to post. I am trying to connect all the dots of the story before the last chapter. I thought writing about the moment Jackie found out about Donna and Hyde was a good way to show what she was thinking and what the state of their marriage was like during this time. Maybe it redeems Hyde in some way (probably not though, right? lol). I hope you enjoy this short chapter and I am aiming to wrap up this story in two more chapters, so stay tuned!_


	15. Chapter 15

_Present Day:_

The following afternoon, after several hours of trying, Jackie manages to track down a divorce lawyer who can assure her that her case can be expedited as a result of the infidelity and the length of separation. She was ready to go back home, away from Wisconsin, and start her life with the wonderful man who flew down just to be her rock. For too long she had held on to the most hurtful relationship in her life and after this trip, was ready to let go of all that connected her to it.

"I just need to make sure this is what you want" the lawyer says and she instantly nods her head.

"I have never been more certain of anything in my life" she responds.

Despite her initial hesitation, coming to Point Place was exactly what she needed to lead her in the right direction. Had she not come, the proceedings may have been prolonged another seven years; she may never have had the courage to face Hyde and Donna and confront them for what they did. Most importantly, she was able to see just how wonderful her boyfriend was and how much he truly means to her. Just having him fly down to see her and be her rock was more than she could have asked for.

"Given the circumstances, the process should not take very long. Usually it is customary to set up a meeting with your husband and his attorney to go over logistics but I believe we will be able to finalize in less that three months."

Thee months.

In just 90 days she will be a divorcee, something she never thought she would be, but the word sounds so sweet in this moment. She will be rid of her childhood dreams and pain. She will no longer be associated with the two people who hurt her the most. Finally, she will be able move past the damage she's been suppressing for nearly a decade.

"That should not be a problem," she says, though she wonders how willing Hyde would be in signing divorce papers after their last encounter.

After about an hour, Jackie heads back to her apartment where her boyfriend awaits. He volunteered to go with her to the Forman's for the last time before leaving Point Place. Nervously, she wondered what reactions the others would have when she strolled in with him, but was also excited to show him off and show Donna and Hyde how much she has grown and moved on.

 _Later that evening_

Donna sits next to Fez and Kitty, all three waiting for the doctor to give the okay to discharge Hyde from the hospital.

Fez sits impatiently, rocking back and forth in his seat much to the annoyance of Donna who checks the hallway leading to Hyde's room every few minutes. She has not spoken to him since his last encounter with Jackie in the room. The argument only escalated upon her departure and now, Donna is unsure where their relationship stands. She was unsure if he was going to their home or if they were even together anymore. She knew from the very start that no good was going to come from Jackie returning to Point Place. Had the doctors not asked for the spouse, no one would have even contacted her.

A short time later, a nurse walks down the hallway pushing a Hyde in a wheelchair. Instantly, Kitty hops out of her seat and runs over to them. She throws her arms around the young man who groans at the pressure of the hug.

"Sorry sweetie" Donna hears Kitty say from a distance. She hesitantly walks over to the pair as Kitty takes over the nurse's pushing.

"Hey" he says in a low voice when she finally reaches them.

"Hi" she says and before either can say anything else, Fez runs over and similarly to Kitty, throws himself onto Hyde.

"Oh I was so worried about you my frizzy haired friend" Fez says while Hyde is trying to gently push him off.

"Thanks Fez" Hyde says once Fez gets off.

The doctor walks towards then and gives them the low down on Hyde's progress and steps moving forward. "I have prescribed some medications which you can pick up at the pharmacy and I would like to see you again in a week to monitor activities, but I am very happy with the progress you have made."

After a few "thank yous," the foursome made their way out of the hospital and headed to the Forman's for a welcome back dinner Kitty whipped up earlier. Throughout the drive, Donna and Hyde sat in the back of the car while Fez and Kitty drove up front. The twenty minutes or so were spent in silence, neither making eye contact nor uttering a sound.

Anxiously, Donna looked at the window and wondered what the rest of the night would be like, especially since Jackie had been invited to attend the dinner. Just thinking about her former friend made her blood boil and she could not wait until she went back to her life and left them all alone once and for all.

Once at the Forman's, the group found Red sitting by the kitchen table, a newspaper in hand and a cup of coffee before him. He quickly stood up to help Kitty with the wheelchair and welcome his pseudo son back.

"Steven, it's nice to see you son," he stated genuinely and helped Hyde out of his wheelchair and onto a seat.

"It's nice to be home," Hyde says.

Kitty rushes over to the stove and turns it on, attempting to heat up the food she left out for dinner.

Donna sits on a chair across from Hyde and stares at him whenever he looked away. He seems calm, as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred between them. She can't help but wonder where their relationship would go from here. She could try and move past what she heard and try to get back on track. However, she can't stop thinking about him professing his love for Jackie and it just makes her boil inside.

"We're just going to wait for Eric and Jackie to arrive before we eat," Kitty exclaims from her spot in the kitchen.

Donna groans and looks to Hyde to observe his reaction. Cool as a cucumber. He even looks at her and winks. For a brief second, she feels a wave of love flow through her and then she remembers how mad she is at him.

"Isn't this supposed to be a family dinner? Why is Jackie coming?" Donna asks.

"Well, Jackie is family," Kitty answers.

"Family? We hadn't seen her in over six years before this."

"Family has nothing to do with the amount of time gone sweetie. You kids grew up together and she will always be welcomed in this house" Kitty says.

Donna rolls her eyes and folds her hands across her chest.

The group sits and chats for a bit and after a while, the sliding door opens and in walks Eric. He walks past Hyde and Donna and towards Kitty. Donna watches as her ex husband embraces his mother and then his father. He offers the others a general hello, without even looking at her.

Both Hyde and Donna remained silent as Eric and his parents caught up. Eric shared about his plans for his new home and how great things were with his girlfriend. Donna's ears perked up when he mentioned being ready to have children and she couldn't help but be upset. For years, she basically begged him to start a family with her. They had been together for over a decade and somehow, he couldn't see himself as the father of her children. Now here he is, with someone he just recently started seeing, having bought a house and ready to have children. She couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with her.

"We're thinking of upgrading the car, get one that's more family friendly" Eric says and of course Mrs. Forman is giddy at the thought of having a grandchild.

"Oh honey, I just can not wait until we have a beautiful, chubby baby running around here" she replies.

"No Kitty, no more kids. We finally got our house to ourselves and now you want to refill it with kids that are going to outlive us. No" Red says which earns him a look from his wife.

"Don't listen to your father sweetie, we would be nothing short of ecstatic."

Red grumbles and walks away from the pair and into the living room. Donna glances over at Hyde and notices that he isn't looking at Eric but rather at the sliding door, almost as though waiting for someone.

"Hyde" she calls out and he quickly whips his head to look at her.

"Huh?" he says.

"Do you want to go join Red in the living room?" she asks.

"Oh, no you go ahead I'm just going to sit here for a bit" he responds. She narrows her eyes a bit before standing up and leaving the kitchen.

In the living room, Red sits silently watching television, not acknowledging the new presence in the room.

"Hey Red" Donna says.

Groan.

She proceeds to plop down on the couch and blankly stare at the game on the screen. Thinking about the two people from her past that have turned the past few days upside down gives her a head ache. In just a few days, Jackie has managed to damage her relationship and Eric brought back all the insecurities she thought she had rid herself of. Now, here she was, doubting her adequacy and the future of her relationship.

"Red?" she begins.

He responds by groaning yet again, not bothering to look at her.

"Have you met Eric's girlfriend?"

The question was enough to elicit a quick glance in her direction and a nod.

"What is she like?"

She now has his full attention. The older man shakes his head from side to side. "Donna, unlike my wife, I really don't like meddling into other people's business" he responds.

"I know Red, I guess…I'm just curious what she has that I don't."

"Why does that matter now? He's with her and you're with Steven."

"I guess it shouldn't, but it does."

"All I will say is that she's different. Not better, not worse, just different."

Donna nods her head knowing that she won't get any more information from him. Maybe she can ask Kitty once she finds her alone.

The two sit silently once again when the doorbell rings and the two are joined by Jackie and a man who Donna assumes is her new boyfriend.

 _Things are about to get interesting._


	16. Chapter 16

_Two years ago:_

Jackie sits alone sifting through the pile of papers in front of her. Just when she thinks she has completed all her tasks at work, her supervisor finds more for her to do. This time, she has to compile documents for a last minute presentation that her supervisor should have prepared prior. Now, with thousands of pages and less than six hours to gather everything, Jackie is pondering how many vacation days she has accumulated.

As if her time was not limited enough, the new interns assigned to her kept coming in to ask questions about how to complete simple tasks. As helpful as she wants to be, she has too much work to do at the moment. This, of course, results in her being short with them and she makes a mental note to apologize later for that.

Within the hour, the associate secretary walks into the office asking Jackie to meet the leadership team in the conference room in order to go over the presentation. Once there, Jackie observes all the senior advisors and realizes how serious the meeting must be. Rarely do they all congregate in the same space.

Her supervisor gives her a rundown of the agenda and asks Jackie to share what she has gathered so far, which isn't much. Jackie, determined to make it seem as though she has been ore productive than she actually has been, fluffs up a lot of her findings. One particular advisor makes eye contact with her every time she looks up and seems much more interested in what she is saying than the others. This is the first time she has seen him and he is much younger than the others, perhaps someone's rich son who inherited the position, she thinks.

For about half hour, she sits in the conference room as the others go through the meeting proceedings and ask her question in regards to the information she has collected.

"Perhaps it would be a good idea for Ms. Burkhart to be a part of the meeting in the event we may need to refer to her for information" the young advisor suddenly says. This makes Jackie look to him. She raises her eyebrows in interest and then turns to see the reaction of the others.

"Good idea Noah. Jackie, we will be started at 1:00 PM sharp, please be here as we plan to begin promptly."

Jackie nods.

After the quick meeting, she heads back over to her office to continue gathering data. It only takes a few short minutes before Noah is knocking on her half-opened door. She looks up to acknowledge him, but does not speak.

"I hope you do not mind that I volunteered you to the meeting. I realize I should have asked first before saying it in front of the entire room" he says.

"That would have been appropriate, yes."

"I just wanted to apologize for that."

"Apology accepted" she says and looks back down at the pile of papers in front of her.

Rather than leave, he stands in the same spot and observes her as she works. Jackie, refusing to look up, continues working but can feel his gaze intently on her. For whatever reason, it does not make her uncomfortable, though it probably should. About a minute passes before she looks back up at him.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Jackie asks cheekily.

Noah smirks and it instantly, and inexplicably, made her heart skip a beat.

The last time she reacted similarly to a man's smirk like this ended up causing her a world of hurt and the sudden memory forced her to compose herself instantly.

"You're very smart Ms. Burkart" he says.

"Let's pretend that isn't condescending" she responds rolling her eyes.

"I did not mean that as an insult, I apologize if it came across that way. I just don't come across too many smart individuals in this field. Everyone just says what they think sounds good or what would make me happy" he tells her.

"Why would they care if they make you happy or not?" she asks.

"I supposed they shouldn't really" he shrugs.

She nods her head and narrows her eyes a bit. Who was this person who everyone is apparently so adamant to please. She makes a mental note to ask her close work friend about this guy.

"What do you think about the company?" he asks and takes step inside her office.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you like working here?" he asks.

Again, she narrows her eyes and shrugs her shoulders. "I like it enough to show up every day."

Again, he smirks and nods his head. He takes a few steps closer to her desk and this time she does not take her eyes off him. Normally, she would be annoyed at the uninvited distraction, but something about him is intriguing. Perhaps it's his clean, sharp appearance, the mind-numbing smirk he has given her twice now, or maybe it's simply that he seems genuine. He seems to actually be interested in what she has to say, which was evident even during her initial meeting with the advisors. Still, she hesitates to believe that a good guy exists, particularly after her past experiences.

"I suppose that's good enough," he responds and proceeds to take a seat on a chair across from her desk.

Taken aback, it takes a moment for her to recover and figure out what to say. "Mr. Noah, uh, sorry I didn't catch your last name" she says.

"Thompson" he says.

"Mr. Thompson, I don't mean to be rude but, as you recall, I now have a meeting, which I was so generously volunteered for, to prepare for and while I would normally engage in small talk, I am afraid I really can't indulge that right at this moment."

"So how about dinner?" he replies which leaves her without a response.

Eyes widen, Jackie stares at the handsome young man across from her, unsure if she is more flattered or disturbed at his request.

"I don't even know you" she eventually says.

"Noah Thompson" he says matter of factly.

"Right, that I know, but I really don't _know_ you," she says again.

"Well, what better way to get to meet someone than over dinner?"

"For all I know, you could be a murder" she says.

"I promise you, I'm not", he says.

The tone of his voice and the look in his eyes let her know that he was being sincere, but she was about to have a little fun with him.

"You wouldn't actually admit it if you were though, would you."

"I supposed you're right."

"And you don't know if I'm a murderer either. For all you know you just asked a serial killer out on a date and it would be, hypothetically, of course, your last meal."

"That, I suppose, is plausible."

"It's a big risk to take, don't you think?"

"I agree, but I'm interested enough to take that chance."

"What makes you interested enough in someone you know nothing about?"

"Like I said, Ms. Burkhart, I find you to be incredibly smart. I don't believe you will say something just because it's what I want to hear and I suppose I'm now curious to see if you are actually a serial killer," he says smirking.

"Oh, is that all?" she responds.

"Plus, you're incredibly beautiful."

Again, her heart skips a beat and she feels her cheeks flush and her body temperature rises. She looks down in an effort to cover her blushing face.

"So, so should we say tonight at 8:00?"

Taking a moment to consider it, Jackie looks back at him and thinks about the last time she gave a man a chance. Before she could over think it, she nodded her head.

"Really?" he responded, surprised that she actually agreed.

"Tonight at 8" she says.

"Great, see you then."

He stands up to leave and before he can walk out of her office, she blurts out "what exactly is your role in this company?" she says, wanting to hear it straight from the horse's mouth and not wanting to spark any gossip about her.

He turns back around and smiles, this time big and bright. "I started it" he responds, before turning back around and exiting.


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note: I want to wish you all a Happy New Years! Hope it's gotten off to a strong start!**

 _Present Day:_

"Jackie sweetie, come on in. Oh and who is this dashing young man?" Kitty exclaims as she closes behind the newly arrived duo.

"Thanks Mrs. Forman. This is Noah, my boyfriend" Jackie says. She quickly scans the room and sees Donna sitting by Red a few feet away and is instantly aware of her observing her and her companion. A wave of satisfaction surges through her body at the gaping look on Donna's face. There is no denying how handsome her boyfriend is and this is finally her time to show her former friend just how great her life is despite all the hurt in her past.

"Noah, it's so great to finally meet you. Welcome to our home" Kitty says enthusiastically as she gently pushes the young man towards her husband. "This is Red and Donna. Red, Donna, this is Jackie's boyfriend Noah" she continues.

"We heard the girl Kitty. Nice to meet you son" Red says as he extends a hand towards Noah. Donna nods her head and mumbles a "nice to meet you."

"Noah, sweetie, would you like something to eat? Drink? Some hot cocoa perhaps? Or would you like some coffee?" Kitty says walking him over to a spot on the couch. Jackie smiles at the eagerness the older woman displays and follows suit, taking a seat next to where her boyfriend is now sitting.

"Oh, not thank, thank you very much though" he responds which immediately causes Kitty to frown.

"Son, just get something to make her happy" Red tells him after noticing his wife's reaction.

"Uh, some coffee would be nice" he says, correcting a faux pas he was unaware of.

Immediately, Kitty is delighted and claps her hands cheerily. "Coffee, coming right up" she says without bothering to ask the other occupants in the room.

From the corner of her eye, Jackie can see Donna glancing over at Noah, her expression interested in this new person. Simply observing Donna's curiosity gives Jackie a sense of satisfaction. Here was this gorgeous, well-dressed man who has managed to occupy a space she thought would never be filled again and now, she is able to show him off to the very same people who destroyed her many years again and have them see the person who was able to put her back together. Eric's "we won" statement resonates in her mind at this moment and she sees just how true it is.

Having Noah in the home that served as her haven growing up was cathartic. This man, this magical man that has made her the happiest she has ever been, makes her realize that it truly doesn't matter where they were. Whether it is in the apartment they share in New York, or in Point Place, all she needed to feel at home was him. He made this place, which during the last few years felt more like a prison than a sanctuary feel freeing again.

Within just a few moments, Kitty was back with a cup of coffee and a seemingly pissed off Hyde trailing behind her. Jackie looked at him and saw his expression shift from curiosity to blanketed annoyance and anger at the sight of this intruder. She also saw Donna looking between Hyde and Noah, trying to gauge the reaction and Jackie couldn't be happier when Donna herself grew silently angry.

Kitty placed a tray with cups of coffee on the coffee table and handed one to Noah. "There is sugar and some milk, fix it to your liking sweetheart" she said to the young man.

"Thank you very much" he said, taking the cup from her hand and offering a warm smile. He moved forward a bit and sweetened his coffee a bit. All eyes were on him and Jackie just knew the grilling would soon commence.

Kitty and Noah begin to chat with one another, engaging in small talk about the weather, her spaghetti recipe and how he puts up with the "rude people of New York."

Sure enough, however, Hyde quickly chimes into the conversation. "And what exactly is it that you do?" he asks. Donna's head snapped to look at her boyfriend and her eyes narrowed at his interest.

Noah looks over at Hyde and smiles. He knows the history he and Donna share with Jackie and feels protective over his girlfriend. However, he is not going to let them see him sweat. "I actually work with Jackie, that's where we met."

"Oh how romantic, an office romance" Kitty says.

"He's being modest. He co-founded the company" Jackie adds.

"Pretty young aren't you? Let me guess, your parents footed the bill" Hyde said.

"No, actually. That would have been easier I'm sure. Just got a loan, the good old fashioned way" Noah responds.

"That's the best way to do anything," Red says without taking his eyes off the television set.

"So you're Jackie's boss" Hyde says, more a statement than a question.

Jackie looked towards Hyde and then back to Noah who simply smiled at her.

"Technically, you can say so. But we both know Jackie can't be bossed around."

Hyde's forehead furrowed at the response and slightly nodded his head.

"Oh please," she hears Donna mumble under her breath but chooses not to response.

"Why don't you both tell us how you met?" Kitty asked, her love of romance novels coming through.

"Kitty, leave these kids alone, they don't want to talk about that" Red exclaims slightly turning to look at his wife.

"We might be amused Red" Hyde responds.

"How exactly would that be amusing?" Donna finally chimes in. Jackie could tell she was unimpressed by her boyfriend's interest in the couple before them, particularly after the conversation at the hospital.

Hyde did not answer, or even look in her direction. His eyes were fixated on this new man who was now dating the woman that was still his wife. He knew, however, that he had no right to be upset after everything he did, but part of him still had hope that what he said to Jackie in the hospital would resonate with her and that maybe, things would be as they should be. Selfishly enough, he knew that as long as this guy was in the picture, nothing would change.

"We just met at work. There's no romantic story. Just got to know each other and eventually fell in love," Jackie says looking lovingly at her boyfriend who reached out to squeeze her knee.

"Well that's just beautiful!" Kitty says.

Hyde scrunches his nose at the word love and shakes his head.

"Well we are all glad that you're both in _love_ " Donna says, emphasizing the word.

"Thank you, we really are," Noah responds, making it a point to ignore the sarcasm.

Before Donna can interject, there is a knock at the door. Kitty immediately hops out of her seat and rushes to greet their new guest.

"Oh Eric sweetie, I'm glad you're finally here" Kitty says throwing her arms around her son.

Donna glances over to her ex-husband, back to Hyde and then to Jackie. She notices a smirk across her former friend's face and rolls her eyes. _This night is going to be a mess_ she anticipates.


	18. Chapter 18

_Two years ago:_

Jackie looks down at the clutter filling her bed and the mash up of colors gives her a headache. It has been close to thirty minutes since she stepped out of the shower and she has yet to find something to wear. She looks between the bed and the clock by her bedside table and sees she has less than twenty minutes until Noah is set to arrive. She picks up a skirt and a dress, debating which of the two would be most appropriate yet still sexy enough to keep his attention throughout the dinner.

She can not remember the last time she went on a date before her relationship with Steven Hyde. With the exception of Hyde and Kelso, she had not had another relationship and very few dates in between those. Retrospectively, the downside to being a serial monogamist was that when not in a relationship, she had to figure out things that to others may seem second nature, like how to go on a casual date. Instantly, a swirl of nerves flows through her body at the thought of having to make small talk and hold a conversation with someone she knew nothing about. At least with her previous relationships with Kelso and Hyde, she had gotten to know them before dating them. With Noah, however, she knew nothing besides the little she managed to piece together during their short conversation. She did had to admit that it was commendable to have stepped out of her confort zone for the first time in her life.

Glancing over at the clock again, she rushes over to the bathroom and proceeds to put on a little bit of makeup and curl her hair.

It does not take long for the door bell to ring. Her heart quickens when she hears the second ring and takes a few deep breaths before opening the door.

Once she does, she smiles at the sight of Noah standing with a single red rose and a big smile of his own.

"You look beautiful" he immediate says as he extends his arm to hand her the flower.

"You look beautiful too" she responds which causes him to laugh.

"I don't think I've ever received that particular compliment but I think I like it" he says as he takes a step into the apartment.

"Well, I'm glad you appreciate it" Jackie responds closing the door behind him.

"In case you're wondering why there's only one flower, I figured it would be fitting since this is our first date. I intend on getting you a full bouquet after our next dates."

"You seem confident that there will be more dates after this one" she says sheepishly.

"More like hopeful that there will be."

"I guess we will just have to wait and see how this one goes" she replies.

"I have a good feeling about it."

"Are you finally going to tell me what we're going to be doing? I'm not a huge fan of surprises" Jackie says.

"I've been thinking about places to take you to, and really wanted to impress you. Then I came to the conclusion that I did not want to take you anywhere" he says and glances at her quickly, trying to capture her reaction.

"Oh?" she says, tilting her head to the side.

"What I mean by that is, I thought, and feel free to object if you would like, that we could order in and spend the evening alone, getting to know each other."

"Getting to know each other, huh?"

"Don't worry, there are no expectations of physical interactions" he says smiling.

Jackie chuckles and shakes her head. "Had you told me this earlier, you could have saved me a lot of trouble trying to put an outfit together."

"I was not sure you would be for the idea, so just in case."

"Okay," she starts and makes her way to the kitchen. A few seconds later, she returns with a handful of menus. "What are you in the mood for?"


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note:** _What a long time is has been. I apologize for the long hiatus, life tends to get in the way quite often. Here is the latest installment of a story I was sure would have been completed by now but has kept me entertained enough to keep going. Hope you enjoy this latest chapter!_

 _Present day:_

A short while after Eric's arrival, the group sits around the table in the kitchen while Kitty slowly brings out one dish after the other. Jackie glances around the table, unsure if she is the only person noticing the insane amount of food being brought out. She briefly catches Donna's eye and holds the look just long enough to make her former friend uncomfortable and look away. She notices that Hyde still has his sunglasses on and that Eric has purposely sat furthest from the pair. Noah sits next to Donna, with enough ease that if she didn't know any better, she would think he had no idea what transpired between the foursome at the table. He makes eye contact with her and she smiles, thankful for characteristics such as this that make her less anxious about the situation she has found herself in.

To say that being anxious while in the same room as Donna and Hyde all these years after what occurred is an understatement. She had sworn, once she left Point Place, that she would never be around these people again. If all goes accordingly, however, this could be the last time she has to be subjected to their presence. With that said, she is thankful to at least be able to see the Formans again. Something about the older couple brings her a sense of home, whatever that might mean to her anyway.

"Kitty, this is enough to feed a whole damn country. How much food did you make?" Red asks, assuring Jackie that she was not the only crazy one at the table.

"Oh hush will you? It's not every day we have the kids over."

"Well if you keep this up, we won't be able to get rid of them. It took us long enough to get them all out of here, don't do anything that'll bring them back."

"Oh Red, admit it. The house has been too quite without them around. Don't you remember how much fun it was when they were over everyday?"

"All I remember was having to clean up the messes the created."

Kitty shakes her head and finally join the group at the table. "Dig in" she says enthusiastically and without missing a beat, everyone but Noah starts grabbing plates and silverware and plopping portions of food onto their plate.

"Let me guess, Jackie serves you your food huh?" exclaims Hyde, noticing Noah's hesitation.

Noah simply smirks and reaches under the table to squeeze Jackie's thigh, urging her not to give into the comment. She throws a dirty look towards Hyde and quickly looks next to her to Noah and pecks him on the lip. Two can play a game, and she is much better at this Hyde.

"So Eric, how is Brittany?" Jackie asks. She knows the question will incite Donna, but frankly, she doesn't care. With only three days left in Point Place, she is determined to show these two that both people they hurt are doing well and are, ultimately, better and happier than them. She wants to make it clear that evil doesn't prosper and, as Eric said, they have to sit in the misery together because of the actions the chose.

"She's doing alright, work has kept her really busy so I'm thinking of planning a vacation for us soon."

"Oh that's wonderful!" Kitty exclaims. "Red, why don't we ever go on vacation?"

"Because you don't like sleeping in a bed that's not yours" the older man responds.

"Where are you thinking of going?" Jackie asks.

"She's always wanted to visit Arizona, see the canyon and hike" Eric responds.

"Hike? Since when do you hike?" Donna asks without thinking.

Eric looks over at her quickly and does not respond.

"Well, I guess it's a little romantic if it's something she wants to do" Jackie says.

"Arizona is a great place to visit, I can give you recommendations of restaurants if you'd like" Noah chimes in.

"That'd be great" Eric answers.

"Shocker, he's been to Arizona" Hyde says sarcastically.

Again, Noah simply smiled and diverted his attention to Jackie who chose to ignore Hyde this time.

"I was actually thinking of asking Brittany to marry me" Eric says quickly, so quickly in fact that it almost went unheard.

The table grows silent and all eyes shift between Eric and Donna, except Hyde's who focuses solely on his girlfriend, waiting to see what reaction she'll have.

Donna's eyes are incredulous and she does not look away from Eric for a second, despite him avoiding any eye contact with her. Red and Kitty look nervously at each other and then back at their son. Noah shifts slightly in his seat, the first indication of discomfort. Jackie looks to Eric, then Hyde and finally Donna.

"What?" Donna finally says, unsure if she heard correctly.

"I am going to propose to Brittany" Eric responds, this time slower and looking directly at her.

"You can't do that" Donna says immediately, her tone slightly higher in pitch than before.

"And why is that?"

"Why do you care?" Eric and Hyde, respectively, respond in unison.

"I-what I me-just tha-" Donna stumbles over her words, realizing the mistake she made."

"Go on Donna, why can't Forman propose to his girlfriend?" Hyde prompts again.

"I didn't-that's not what I-just forget it" Donna says.

"It's too late to forget it now, so tell us why he shouldn't ask his girlfriend to marry him? It's not like you care about him anymore right?" Hyde continues.

"Steven" Red chimes in.

"Come on, we're all curious now aren't we?" Hyde continues.

"Hyde, it did not come out how it was supposed to" Donna tries to explain.

"Well, then tell us what it was supposed to mean."

Eric looks over to Jackie and shakes his head. Somehow his news, which was meant to excite his parents, has become about the troubles in the relationship of the two people who used to be most important to him. All the little cracks in their foundation are being exposed at this very moment, much to everyone's discomfort.

"Let's just talk about it in private okay?" Donna says.

"You brought it up in front of everyone, so it's not really private" Hyde answers.

The couple continues going back and forth for a few moments, all to the dismay of everyone at the table who, despite trying to interject and switch the topic of conversation, are still being sucked into this growing argument. Jackie watches as Noah moves around in his seat and eventually excuses himself to catch a breather.

"Oh will you two just shut up already?" she says once Noah leaves the room. "We're so sick and tired of hearing you go back and forth about something that has nothing to do with either of you. You want to be upset that your ex-husband, who you _cheated_ on is proposing to his girlfriend? Go ahead, but don't sit there and act like he's in the wrong for moving on with his life, just like you did. And you, just shut up. You're the last person at this table that gets to be self-righteous about anything. If you two took a second to look around and focus on anything other than yourselves and your pathetic relationships, you'd realize how miserable you're making everyone around you and how you ruined a dinner Mrs. Forman took time making. Why don't you both go and solve all the problems in your miserable relationship in private and let the rest of us enjoy what's left of this night."

As soon as she says this, she catches Donna's eyes filling with tears before the former redhead storms out of the kitchen through the sliding door.

"Nice, real nice" Hyde says a few seconds later.

"Oh fuck off" Jackie responds before he himself gets up and goes after his girlfriend.


	20. Chapter 20

_Five days ago:_

Jackie stares at the endless piles of paper scattered across her desk. No matter how much she cleans up and organizes, she can never seem to have a clean office. If it's not her assistant bringing in more work, it's her supervisor asking her to review some of her work. The last thing she wants to do, after a long and pointless meeting, is start filing papers. She plops down on the sofa and not even a moment later her assistant storms in with a notepad.

"I have your messages," she says, much too enthusiastically for someone delivering memos.

Jackie can't fault the girl. At just 20 years old, everything about this industry excites her, much like it used to Jackie when she was that young. 20. Feels like a lifetime ago, an entirely different life actually.

"Anything urgent?" Jackie asks not wanting to get to more work unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Jackson called twice and wants you to call back about dinner plans with Susan tomorrow night, Alina Ray-something or other also called and left a call back number. She said you would know what it was about. Also a Mrs. Forman called and wants you to call back as soon as you can, said it was urgent."

Jackie sits up at the mention of Mrs. Forman's name. It had been months since she last heard from the older woman and instantly, Jackie's mind goes to the worst imaginable scenario-someone passed away.

"Thanks" she tells her assistant as she gets off the couch and walks over to the phone, which is hidden under numerous papers, some which fall to the ground. Groaning at the added mess, Jackie makes a mental note to pick them up later and quickly dials the number on the notepad her assistant left behind. It takes a few rings for someone to pick up, but when they do, it's a voice Jackie instantly recognizes.

"Mrs. Forman, it's Jackie."

"Oh Jackie sweetie, I'm glad you got my message. I wasn't too sure your assistant would relay it to you; she seems a bit…well, a bit not all there if you know what I mean. But how fancy that you got an assistant now" Kitty starts.

"Is everything alright Mrs. Forman?" Jackie asks wanting to get to the point of the call.

"Things have been better Jackie dear. I called because Steven got into an accident" Kitty says.

Jackie's catches her breath at the news. "Is-is he alright?" she stutters.

"The doctor's say he's doing a bit better, they can't say much more unfortunately."

"What happened?"

"We aren't too sure honestly. Steven goes in and out, so we have not been able to piece everything together."

"How bad is it? Why can't the doctors tell you more?"

"It's not as bad as it could have been. They're keeping him monitored for a few days until he is stable. They can't tell us much because, well…you're his emergency contact."

"Huh?" Jackie says dumbfounded.

"You're listed as his emergency contact on all his medical papers. I guess he never changed them after you left."

"Mrs. Forman…" Jackie starts, unsure what to even say. It has been years since she's last seen or spoken to Hyde. Surely he would have had some sense and put his girlfriend as his contact person in the event of an emergency.

"I know everything that's happened between you two, but Jackie…if there's any way you can come and just…" the older woman's voice trails off. She knows what she is asking of the younger woman and frankly, she isn't sure if it's something she would ever agree to but no harm in trying.

"I-I don't think I can do that Mrs. Forman" Jackie answers. No way in hell would she go back to Point Place.

"Jackie, I know how hard this will be for you but…if you could do this for Red and I. We need to know that he's going to be all right and as much as we try, they're not telling us much."

"I just…what about Donna?"

"She's been trying, they're not telling her much either. Jackie…if anything happens to Steven…you're the only person that can make any decisions" the older woman shares. Jackie can hear the growing tension in her voice and instantly, the severity of the situation dawns on her. Hyde might not make it out of the hospital. She would have to make all medical decisions for him if he doesn't get better. She, and she alone, would have to call the shots for a man who hurt her more than anyone else has.

"I…Mrs. Forman…that's a…"

"A big responsibility, I know sweetie. If there was any other way, I wouldn't trouble you with this."

"Can I…can I think about it and call you back?" Jackie inquires.

"Sure sweetie, of course. But Jackie…please don't think too long" Kitty answers.

"Okay Mrs. Forman" Jackie responds before hanging up the phone.

Suddenly, the mess in her office doesn't seem so bad.


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note: Here is the latest installment of this story. There is just ONE chapter left and I'm hoping to have it up before the end of next week so look out for it! I hope you all enjoy it and let me know what you think!**

 _P_ _resent day:_

Following the disastrous dinner the night before, Jackie finds herself back in the Forman's house. Having just left a meeting with her divorce attorney, she feels a huge sense of relief. After last night, she realized even more how much she needs to distance herself from Hyde and Donna and focus on her future with Noah. Thankfully, her lawyer has been working tirelessly to expedite the process. Knowing that she can file and be divorced in less than 90 days is a better feeling than she would have ever thought.

She had put off meeting with a lawyer for years. It had not been out of hope that they would reconcile or for not wanting to. Frankly, there had been several instances in which she would ask friends if they knew any good lawyers or would go as far as walking into an office, but never once made it inside. It took a while to recognize that the reason she was having a hard time pulling the trigger was because the idea of divorce had always seemed one that did not apply to her. For as long as she could remember, she had planned a dream wedding and envisioned what her future would look like and what she would be like as a wife. Once she started dating Hyde, she could truly see, for the first time, that vision coming into fruition. At first, it was just as perfect as she had imagined; he was her soul mate. However, it crashed almost as quickly as it had started and she now had to deal with rewriting every fantasy and dream she had as a child.

Though it had taken her a few years to finally admit defeat and seek legal guidance, she feels happy. She is ready to start anew with someone who she knows would never hurt her. Noah is the antithesis of Hyde. He has never once walked out on her and is persistent to communicate when they disagreed or argued about anything. While their relationship was not perfect, it was strong and they both cherished it enough, and respected each other enough, to work through any little hurdles that came their way and make it work. That notion was just further solidified when she saw what her life could have turned out to be had she stayed with Hyde.

"Jackie sweetie, are you sure you left it here?" asks Kitty as she reenters the kitchen.

"I placed it on top of the drawer last night, it should be there" Jackie responds.

"Perhaps I did not look well enough. I can try again later if you'd like" Kitty says.

"It's alright Mrs. Forman, I'll head down and look. Maybe I placed it somewhere else and don't remember."

"Alright sweetie. I will start on breakfast soon, do you want some hot cocoa in the meantime?"

"Oh no thanks Mrs. Forman" Jackie replies as she starts making her way out of the kitchen and down to the basement.

As soon as she walks down the steps, she is teleported back to simpler, more youthful times. The last memory she has of being in this room was while she was still married to Hyde. They had spent the night over at the Formans after Kitty caught a cold and Hyde insisted they stay to help Red out around the house while she got better. Since Red did not give up his T.V., the couple made their way downstairs to watch a movie. They immediate took their spots on the couch, cuddled next to each other and enjoying the movie when suddenly the door bursts open and in walk Eric and Donna, arguing about something she can no longer recall.

She remembers the argument quickly escalated as her then best friend started crying. She quickly jumped from her spot on the couch and tried to comfort the older girl while Hyde tried to diffuse the situation and get his own best friend to stop yelling at his wife. That had become their role lately, moderators in a stream of pointless arguments between Eric and Donna. She had noticed that night that they were no longer trying to hide the arguments from others and they were occurring more often. Jackie had been aware that Donna desperately wanted to start a family and Eric was resistant about the idea. She assumed that's what arguments were about. In those moment, she was thankful about the happy state of her own marriage. Unfortunately, that did not last very long.

Just a few short weeks after that particular night, her own marriage came crashing down and life as she had known it was over.

Now, standing just a few feet away from that very couch, a pang of sadness overcomes her and she feels a few tears filling the corners of her eyes. She dabs them both before they spill. She refuses to cry over Hyde again. She's given up too many tears to a man that does not deserve them.

As if on cue, he walks out of the space that used to be his bedroom.

She jumps back a bit, not having expected him. "Jesus Hyde, you scared me" she says.

"Sorry, didn't mean to" he responds.

For some time, the two stand feet apart, staring at each other and not saying a word. She takes in his appearance under the dim lighting. He appears weaker and slimmer than usual, perhaps a result of being hospitalized. His hair is tamer than she is used to and his eyes lack the luster they usual possess. His demeanor was sad, she was able to determine. Even after all the years that have passed, she could still read him. She could feel bad for him, but any empathy she could muster towards him is long gone. As she started to look back down, she noticed a slight sparkle coming from his hands and there she saw what she had left behind, her wedding band. He followed her gaze to the band and lifted his hand to allow for a better look of it.

"I found it back there" is all he says.

She nods. "I left it back there" she responds.

This time, he nods. He puts the band between two fingers and turns it slowly, as though admiring it for the first time. She watches as he reads the inscription he had put in before he gave it to her: "pudding pop." He'd told her that as long as she had that ring on, he would always be with her. It had been a long time since he'd been with her.

"It was a nice idea, wasn't it?" he says, mostly to himself.

Jackie doesn't answer. She merely continues looking at him as he looks at the band. He finally looks back up at her and his eyes, despite lacking their shine, still pierce through her soul.

"Some ideas are better than reality" she says.

"Maybe" he responds.

"I was going to give that back to you. I don't have much use for it anymore" Jackie says, remembering the reason she had come to the basement.

"Right."

"Well, since you've found it, I can get going" she says as she turns around to walk back upstairs.

"Jackie...I meant it when I said I love you."

She considers ignoring him as soon as she hears the words but something draws her back. She turns around and looks at him. She says nothing, which gives him the okay to continue.

"I know I hurt you and I live with that every day. I know I can't take back what I did and I take full responsibility for our marriage failing. You probably hate me but if there is any way..."

"Any way what Hyde? That I can forgive you? I hope that's not what you're going to say."

"Jackie-"

"You're in a relationship, or did you forget that?"

"I did not forget."

"I'm in a relationship, and I'm happy. For the first time in a very long time, I am happy. I'm with someone that loves me and protects me and would never hurt me. He's what you should have been, what you promised me you would be. You don't get to stand here now and tell me what you think I want to hear. It's a little too late for that."

"That's not what I'm doing Jackie. I'm telling you how I feel. I know I fucked up, don't you think I know that?"

"Good, I'm glad you know that you fucked up. You should be reminded of that every single day for the rest of your life. I loved you. Did you know that? I loved you more than anyone in the world and I was willing to do anything for you." The tears that she had wiped away have come back and despite her best efforts, they begin to fall down her face.

"I know that Jackie-"

"No you don't. If you did you wouldn't have done what you did. You're selfish and you thought you could have you cake and eat it too. I hope that every time you look at her face, you see mine."

"Jackie, I'm sorry-" he says, but she cuts him off.

"Hyde...I met with a divorce lawyer today. When you get the papers, please sign them. If you really love me, let me know" she says and this time, she doesn't give him another opportunity to speak. She walks up the steps and wipes away the last of the tears and leaves behind everything that represents her past.


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note: Last chapter! Admittedly this story has taken much longer to complete than was anticipated and the direction changed continuously throughout until I landed here. I hope those who have followed this story have enjoyed it. This is quite possibly my last story on ff. I am looking forward to spending more time reading some of the wonderful stories being written on this site. See you all around!**

 _Six months later  
_  
Jackie quietly flips through the papers in front of her, trying to listen to the presentation taking place. This morning's coffee must not have been strong enough as she is struggling to keep her eyes fully open and her attention is limited.

"Interestingly enough, we were discussing shooting it from a multi-camera perspective" says her co-worker Jay to the group. She hears some muffled responses and suddenly someone says her name.

"Huh?" she responds.

"Jackie, are you here with us?" her supervisor asks.

"Yes, sorry. Just a bit distracted" she says.

"Alright, lets try to stay focus people, we have a big project to complete and time is not our friend.

After the meeting, Jackie rushes to her office and immediately picks up the phone receiver, dialing the number she now has memorized. Her anxiety increases with each ring and second that goes by. She has been waiting for this day for quite some time and now that it's finally here, she can't wait for it to be over.

"Abbot and Zale's Associates good morning" answers the secretary.

"Good morning, this is Jackie Burkhart calling for Mr. Rogers."

"Is he expecting your call?"

"Yes, I was told to call at this time."

"Please hold while I transfer you."

After another few rings, Jackie finally hears the voice she has been waiting to hear all morning.

"Ms. Burkhart, it's nice to hear from you" Rogers starts.

"Likewise Mr. Rogers. I am just calling to follow up and see if everything went accordingly."

"I am happy to say it did. Congratulations Ms. Burkhart, it has been finalized."

Jackie's heart skipped a beat at the news and she could not stop thanking her lawyer. Trying to get her divorce finalized has been such a challenge. For the first couple of weeks, Hyde refused to sign until she gave him an opportunity to speak to her. After she left Point Place a few months ago, she had no intention of ever having contact with him or Donna for that matter. Last she heard, his hesitation to sign the papers caused a lot of arguments in their relationship and she ended up moving out of their apartment.

Eventually, she had to have contact with him through lawyers in order for any progress to take place in the proceedings. She was ready to move on from her past and start a new life with Noah.

After months, Hyde agreed to sign the divorce and she is finally free from any reminder of that stage of her life.

Once she gets off the phone with the lawyer, she calls Noah to share the news.

"Hello?"

"I'm officially single" she practically squeals over the phone when he answers.

"Excuse me?" he replies in amusement.

"I mean my divorce is finalized," she explains.

"Well, I believe congratulations are in order" he says.

"What do you have in mind?"

""I do think that a newly single lady should be taken out for some fun on the town. What do you say to dinner and possibly some dancing?"

"I love to dance," she says.

"I know you do. I should be done here by 6 so I'll probably be home before 7:00."

"That sounds good, I'll start getting ready early so I can look extra nice for you."

"You always look beautiful baby."

Those simple, reassuring words were enough to let Jackie know she made the right choice in picking him. She knew that he would not hurt her and that she did not need to be afraid to open up her heart to him. Even with all the hurt and pain she has experienced in the past, she refused to be the jaded girl that no longer believed in love. She was, after all, Jackie Burkhart, the hopeless romantic. Even though her marriage did not work out, she wanted to salvage any part of that girl that she could.

"I love you," she tells him, truly meaning it and silently thanking a higher being for putting this man in her life.

"I love you too beautiful."

She knew this. She's known this from the first night they spent together and he ensured her he did not expect anything she was not comfortable with. He allows her to go at her own pace and is patient. He's her guy and she feels his love every day.

"I'll see you tonight."

They were going to be alright. _She_ was going to be alright.

 **End.**


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